Dark Side of the Moon
by Mystewitch
Summary: Three little days. That's all Damon needs to keep Elena safe until the next full moon. AU set before the big showdown with Klaus at the end of season two, after Damon has already forced his blood on Elena. It begins during daylight hours, so no werewolf bite from Tyler yet either. This picks up right after Elena and Stefan spent the day hiking by the falls in episode 2.20
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do like to take them for a spin every now and again…**

**So... I'd taken this fic down some time ago to publish it through Kindle Worlds, but that program has been closed down. I completely forgot about re-posting it here! Here it is again, with some of the original comments and responses to reviews. **

**This is set before the big showdown with Klaus at the end of season two, after Damon has already forced his blood on Elena. It begins during daylight hours, so no werewolf bite from Tyler yet either. This picks up right after Elena and Stefan spent the day hiking by the falls in episode 2.20 "The Last Day".**

**Three little days. That's all Damon needs to keep Elena safe until the next full moon. Klaus has assembled a witch, vampire and werewolf and waits only for the night of the next full moon to sacrifice Elena and finally get everything he's schemed for since Katherine evaded him hundreds of years ago. With his blood running through Elena's veins and her bitter contempt ringing in his ears, Damon decides to take matters into his own hands. Kidnapping seems like the best way to buy them some time to figure out how to defeat Klaus, and Elena has little choice but to go along with it. **

**Soon they're on the road with no distractions to keep them from getting to know each other better. With some extended alone time together, will Elena be able to see past Damon's caustic smirk for once and see the man inside? Will Damon risk letting Elena slip behind his carefully constructed defenses? **

* * *

All day long Damon ran around town, frantically trying to salvage the situation to buy Elena another month until the next full moon. Desperate to try anything to keep that look out of her eye – the look that wounded him to the quick – he moved Heaven and Earth to place the werewolf out of Klaus' reach.

Confident he had things well in hand, there was only one more step to his master plan. A step he assumed Stefan would be on board with. When Damon entered the Salvatore mansion (make that the Gilbert mansion since Elena was technically the owner now) he heard the shower running and paused to let his imagination wander.

"Something wrong?" Stefan asked, coming upon Damon at the bottom of the stairs.

"Sorry, just engaging in a little mental voyeurism. So, what did you guys get up to today? I'm assuming a romantic interlude of some sort? Just in case she shuffles off this mortal coil tonight?" That was a mental image Damon had no interest in pursuing, and he headed straight for the bar to pour himself a drink.

"It was romantic, but probably not the way you're thinking. We hiked to the top of the falls to watch the sunset."

Damon's brows came up in surprise over the top of the glass. "You took her hiking? With everything going down tonight, that's your idea of the perfect day?" Was he the only sane person left in this screwed up world?

"I wanted her to experience the beauty of a completely human…"

"I think you're out of touch if you think tromping around through the tick filled underbrush is the epitome of the human experience, little brother," Damon smirked.

"I'm trying to respect her wishes. This isn't what she wants," Stefan insisted. "_You_ aren't what she wants."

Damon let the hurtful words roll off his back. If he didn't stop to acknowledge them, they couldn't wound him. "She's a seventeen-year-old girl, she has no idea what she wants." He loped away, ascending the stairs two at a time.

The shower was off now and he could hear her moving around in Stefan's room, soft and graceful. Damon stood with his head leaning against the wall, trying not to imagine the simple routine on the other side as she got dressed and ran her fingers through the dark tangle of hair. Her misguided nobility would end up with her either dead or turned, and either option would spell misery for him. It was becoming clear to him that he'd have to take matters into his own hands where Elena's safety was concerned.

Again.

It was easy to sneak up on Elena. Damon had done more than his share of lurking in his day. Her attention firmly fixed on tying her shoes, all she had time for was a slight widening of her eyes the moment before he struck, hands closing around her neck. Just the right amount of pressure and she slumped in his arms, unconscious and pliable.

She'd be fine when she woke up, maybe a headache, but no permanent damage. Allowing himself the briefest of moments to drink in her beauty, even in this state, his fingers brushed across the curve of her cheek and down the smooth column of her throat. "I'm gonna fix this, Elena, I promise." Damon's lips moved almost soundlessly, the pledge given as soundly in his heart as if he'd shouted it from the top of Stefan's falls.

* * *

Elena stirred, stretching on a strange bed, in a strange room, the sound of music coming from the other room. What an odd dream. The furnishings were nice and modern, but with an impersonal quality that felt like a hotel room. Why was she dreaming she was in a hotel room alone?

A sneaking suspicion began to dawn on her – this wasn't a dream. Had Klaus come for her and whisked her away for safekeeping before he could complete the ritual? Or had Stefan decided to disregard her wishes and take her out of town? No, that wasn't his style, that was… "Damon." There was all manner of accusation in that single word when she came upon him in the living room.

"Oh, you're awake." He looked up with a cheery grin, waving a room service menu at her. "Hungry?"

"Where are we?" she demanded, ignoring the menu.

"Someplace safe," he replied, unconcerned over her tone, and that kicked her annoyance up a notch.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means… _some place safe_." Damon said each word slowly and deliberately until she wanted to throttle him, but instead she turned on her heel.

"Okay, you know what? I'm outta here." Elena headed for the door, but Damon was there in a flash, physically blocking her way.

"Ah, ah, ah, not so fast. The part where this is someplace safe includes you actually staying inside where it's safe."

"You can't keep me here against my will." This was _so_ not happening. There was no way in hell she was going to spend the night with him in a hotel room, no matter how fancy it was.

Damon's eyes flashed mischievously. "Wanna bet?"

He was enjoying this far too much for her tastes and she returned his smile. "I'll scream."

"And then I'll have to hurt whoever comes to your rescue. You don't want that on your conscience, do you?"

Elena hesitated, losing her smile. He had her there. From the look in his eye she knew that behind the playful tone he was deadly serious, and the last thing she wanted was any more bloodshed.

"Fine. But you can't be vigilant all the time. The first minute you turn your back I'm gone," she threatened, refusing to be cowed by his icy stare.

"Fine," Damon imitated her tone of voice. "But if you keep this up I'll have to compel you to keep you quiet. In fact, that could make things all kinds of interesting to keep us entertained until we reach the other side of the moon." His grin widened.

"I have vervain in my system," Elena balked, not sure if she should take him at his word. He wouldn't really do that to her, would he? After everything they'd been through.

"But you won't by tomorrow night. I could keep you bound and gagged until then if you prefer," he said with a half shrug.

Elena's eyes widened in outrage. "You wouldn't dare!" she gasped, trying to hold it together. If he'd intended to keep her trussed up he would've tied her up while she was unconscious. He was looking to get a rise out of her and she was playing right into his hands.

Damon pushed away from the door, advancing a step toward her. "Elena, I don't have a whole hell of a lot to lose right now. The oldest living vampire wants to kill everyone I know, including me. I've alienated myself from my brother, not that that's anything new. You hate me… pretty much the only thing I've got going for me right now is the desire to keep you alive, and I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen. Do we understand each other?"

She stared back at him, close enough to feel the flutter of his breath against her cheek.

"I'll bring you back in three days. You don't have to make a federal case out of it." Damon turned away from her, trusting her not to make a break for it, and she knew she'd be crazy to try. There was no way on Earth she'd be able to outrun him.

Three days. How hard could that be? She'd survived the death of those near and dear to her, betrayals, being stalked by her mirror image, and countless attempts on her life. She could survive three days alone with Damon.

"I don't hate you," she sighed finally, moving to the window to see if she could recognize anything from the skyline. All she could see was that they were in a fair-sized city.

Damon brightened, sitting a little higher as his eyes followed her with interest. "You don't?"

"It's more like… despise," she teased, unable to resist the dig, suppressing a laugh at the deflated look that came over his features before the protective armor came up.

"Ouch."

"I'm not happy about this." It felt important to say that.

"Yeah, no kidding," he snorted.

"And Stefan will be livid when he catches up to us."

"Leave him to me."

Elena could see he considered Stefan to be the least of his worries. "So seriously, where are we?" She tried again.

"Someplace no one would ever think to look for you."

"Which is?"

"In plain sight."

Pondering that cryptic response for a few minutes, she turned away from the window. "I'm stuck in here with you for the next three days?"

"So it would seem."

"What about a change of clothes? I'll need something else to wear," she pointed out.

"Already got it taken care of." Damon's smug smile was back in place, and Elena left to go look in the bedroom. Sure enough, there was a selection of clothes in her size that she didn't recognize, neatly folded in the dresser. The bathroom held an array of toiletries, and she had to wonder – how long had she been unconscious? Still, she couldn't fault his taste. It would be a cold night in hell before she put on the lacy nightgown that sat nestled in the top drawer, but she had to smile at him for trying. Hastily replacing it in the drawer, she rejoined him in the living room.

"Can I call Stefan and tell him I'm alright?"

"Do I really need to answer that?"

Elena couldn't help but roll her eyes as she plopped down on the sofa. "What if someone saw you bring me up here? They might report an unconscious girl."

"That's why I took the liberty of smuggling you in with that trunk over there."

"You did not!" Elena's head swiveled around to see where he was pointing, but there was no trunk anywhere in sight.

"I can't believe you looked," Damon snickered, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes again. "Believe me when I say I took care of it."

"What if someone spots your car?"

"Nope, I stole one on the outskirts of town. Give me a little credit, Elena. I have done this before."

"You kidnapped a girl before?" Her brows rose a fraction. Why did that not make her feel any better?

Damon laughed at the expression on her face. "No, but I have plenty of experience being on the run. I know how to cover my tracks. So relax, we'll order up some room service if you like, and all the pay per view movies you want."

Eyes slanted in a mutinous cast, Elena tried to think of a valid objection, but she came up short. "This is just for three days," she allowed begrudgingly.

"Unless you decide you like being on the run with me," he grinned.

Elena gave an inelegant snort, fat chance of that happening. "And this doesn't change anything between us," she insisted.

"Of course not." His hands came up in a supplicating gesture. "This is just me, cleaning up my mistake."

"What mistake?" Her head canted to one side as she studied him. Damon admitting to a mistake? Were pigs about to rain down from the sky?

"Forcing my blood on you," he replied, biting the words out as if chewing nails.

"Then you admit that was a mistake!" Elena all but hopped for joy. Did he finally get it? Could he understand how much it had hurt her to take away that choice? Kidnapping… sure, she could get over that, it was only for a few days, but she wasn't ready to choose between a mortal life and living an eternity as a vampire. She wasn't sure if she'd _ever_ be ready to make that choice.

"For not seeing the simplicity of just removing you from the situation, yeah. But I'm not apologizing for the instinct to keep you safe," Damon qualified his response.

Typical. _Of course_ he couldn't completely admit that he'd been wrong. "Whatever." Picking up the room service menu, she couldn't help but recognize the name of the hotel. "We're in Richmond? I thought you said we were safe?"

"We are. Klaus would never expect me to hide you this close to home. He'll be thinking I'd take you to the ends of the Earth. He won't even stop in Richmond, I can guarantee it."

"If you say so." Elena regarded him dubiously. She could follow his line of logic, but somehow she felt less safe now. Knowing where she was made it seem more real. Klaus was out there looking for her and he'd never stop. Not ever. He'd been chasing Katherine for five hundred years. Now that he was so close to getting what he wanted, it was a safe bet he wouldn't let her run around of her own free will any longer. The next time he found her, that would be it, she'd never see her friends or family again. It was a sobering thought.

"What?" Damon asked without looking up from the magazine he flipped through.

"Huh?" Drawn out of her reverie, Elena wasn't sure what he was talking about.

"What's going through that brain of yours? I can feel you thinking from here."

And that was supposed to encourage her to share her thoughts with him? "Nothing," she replied, dropping the room service menu, her appetite suddenly gone.

Damon set down the magazine with a drawn-out sigh. "No really, what's wrong?"

Elena's head snapped up, brows drawing together in disbelief. "Are you seriously asking me what's wrong? Have you not been paying attention or do I need to list it all out for you?" she scoffed.

"Hey, no reason to get your panties in a twist." Damon moved to lounge beside her on the couch. "The way I see it, we can get all doom and gloomy about things we can't change, or we can just let go of it and enjoy the time we have left." He smiled easily, gesturing to the elegant expanse of the room.

"Enjoy it how?" Her eyes narrowed skeptically. If he was hitting on her…

"Relax, Elena. I meant we could have something to eat, watch a movie, enjoy the view. The things normal people do when they're on vacation without a care in the world. Unless… you had something else in mind?" Eyes dancing with roguish charm, he picked up her hand. "I do happen to be a terrific distraction."

Elena's skin flushed hot where he touched her, despite his cool skin, and it spread through her body to pool low in her belly. "I, um…" She swallowed, trying to marshal her thoughts, but it was hard to do with him touching her. "A movie. Let's watch a movie," she managed to get out, tugging her hand from his. Reaching forward for the remote, she let her hair cover her face in a dark cloud, away from his prying eyes.

A knowing smirk tilted his lips, but Damon said nothing, allowing her to regain control for now.

* * *

Half of a chick flick later, a knock sounded at the door, and Elena started to rise. "That must be the room service."

In one smooth movement, Damon gently pushed her back onto the couch while he dashed to the door. "Don't even think about it. In fact…" He motioned for her to duck out of sight, which she did after an exaggerated sigh. Hiding the smile over her pout, Damon looked through the peep hole, his blood freezing at the sight on the other side of the door. "Get your shoes on, we're leaving," he hissed, backing away from the door. Of course she'd be able to hear him through the door, and there was no back way out. Unless he smashed a hole through the window and leapt with Elena in his arms. He was fairly sure she'd survive it, but it wasn't his first choice in leaving the hotel.

"What is it? Who's there?" Elena did the exact opposite of what he'd asked, sitting stock still on the couch, her eyes wide.

"Trouble," he replied, figuring where one went, the other was sure to follow.

"Oh… Katherine," Elena nodded, and he had to give her a look of respect for figuring out his meaning without spelling it out. "Can she get in here?"

"Yep, public building. I'm surprised she even knocked."

Another knock sounded then, Katherine's bored voice coming through the thick wood. "I'm getting tired of waiting. Are you going to let me in or not?"

"I'm thinking not, but thanks for asking," Damon replied in a normal speaking tone, moving around the couch to wrap his arm around Elena's waist. He couldn't care less about the rest of the stuff in the room, and if Elena didn't want her shoes, that was her problem. "I want you to wrap your arms around me and close your eyes," he told her, an undercurrent of urgency in his voice.

"Why?" Was her immediate response, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from swearing. Couldn't she for once trust him and do as he asked?

The door blew open with a fine shower of splinters as Katherine forced the lock, sauntering in without invitation. "Don't let me interrupt anything. You were asking her to hold you tight?" she smirked, resting the door shut again. It would never fully close without repairs now.

Elena's gaze went from one vampire to the other, unsure what to do.

"Katherine, how did you get out of Klaus' apartment?" Damon asked, keeping his hold on Elena.

"He needed all eyes and ears at his disposal on the search for his precious doppelganger," she replied, her eyes resting first on Elena and then Damon. "So he let me go. Thanks to you, he actually thinks I'll follow his compulsion to contact him the instant I find anything," she laughed.

"Then… you… haven't actually told anyone where we are?" Elena asked haltingly, and Damon couldn't blame her. He didn't believe anything that came out of Katherine's mouth either.

"Nope." She lounged on a leather chair, one leg hooked over the arm. "I gave some thought to telling Stefan, but then again, I wasn't sure what I'd find when I got here. I'd hate to break his heart by showing him his girlfriend shacked up with his own brother."

"I'm not…" Elena pushed at Damon's arms that still encircled her, but he wouldn't budge. "Damon kidnapped me."

"Yeah, I can see you're just sick about it," Katherine smiled, her eyes glittering with malice. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Is there a point to you being here?" Damon asked, fast losing patience with her digs. Since she didn't seem to be turning them in, she had to have some other agenda.

"It seemed safer than staying in Mystic Falls," she shrugged. "And part of me wanted to see if I could do it. And you know what? It was pathetically easy to find you. You can bet if I did it so quickly, Klaus won't be far behind."

Damon's lip curled in anger, but he tamped it down, not wanting to give her any indication she was getting to him. "How _did_ you find us?"

"Are you kidding me? You're so predictable Damon. If you really want to hide her you should go to some hole in the wall, no-tell motel without internet, without video surveillance and without valet service. It only took me two tries to find the right hotel, and it was easy as pie to find the staff you'd compelled into forgetting who was in the penthouse suite."

Some of the air went out of his sails. Was he really that predictable? Was he putting Elena in more danger? Or was Katherine messing with his mind again? Damon's hold on Elena loosened, and he took a step toward the bar before stopping himself. He needed to stay sharp in order to keep her safe. "Fine, we'll move on. Thanks for the heads up." He gave her a cold smile.

"Wait," Elena protested, coming out of her stunned silence. "If you really are that easy to track, I'm not so sure this is a good idea anymore."

"Then you did think it was a good idea before I got here?" Katherine smirked, pushing herself up to her feet. "Don't worry, sweetie, Damon's just about the best person on this planet to keep you safe," she smiled, eyes sweeping over his face. "He'll die before he lets anyone hurt you, count on that." With a confident sway of the hips, she strode to the hotel door that had started to swing open again. "Send me a postcard," she called out without a backwards glance.

Thoughts spinning dangerously out of control, Damon pulled it together, tugging Elena with him into the bedroom to throw some things into the duffel bags he'd brought them up in. "We'd better get moving."

Elena pulled her hand free, backing up towards the door. "No."

Turning away from the bags, he gave a long-suffering sigh. "Elena, don't do this. I can keep you safe, I promise."

"But Katherine…"

"Katherine had a good point. We should be staying under the radar, not above it. But Klaus doesn't know me the way she does. Just because she found us doesn't mean he'd even begin to know where to look." Of that he was confident.

"Where would we go?"

"I'll know it when I see it. For now, we can't hang around here, Katherine saw to that." His eyes flicked to the broken door. First order of business was to get her moving again. After that there were any number of directions to go, though he intended to remain true to his first instinct not to go too far.

"We don't exactly have a lot of time here." Damon held out his hand expectantly, willing her to believe him. To trust him, just this once.

Elena took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's go."

**A/N: If you've read this before, I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane. If you're new to the story, I hope you like it! Either way, let me know what you think about it!**

***** Feedback is Love *****


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do like to take them for a spin every now and again…**

Damon pulled into the dimly lit parking lot, eyes scanning for any sign of danger, but the place appeared to be nearly deserted. Ten or so run-down bungalows looked like they'd been built in the fifties and never updated. The pink paint faded to a dingy brown and half of the windows were so obscured with dirt, even his sharp eyes couldn't tell if the curtains inside were drawn or not.

It was perfect.

"Stay here," he barked, in a sour mood after her stony silence in the car. The trip to the swanky hotel with her unconscious on the back seat had been more pleasant. If he'd had visions of spending the time with her in snappy banter, they'd been dashed after his first few attempts and conversation had been met with little more than noncommittal noises.

"No argument from me." Elena glanced out the window, a dubious look on her face as she took in the motel.

"I don't have to issue the usual warnings and threats, right? If I have to chase you when I get back, I'm gonna be seriously annoyed." Some of that annoyance crept into his voice now in anticipation of the argument he was sure was coming. But instead she offered no resistance.

"I'll be here," she promised.

"Okay then." Damon hesitated a moment longer, waiting to see if it was some kind of trick, but she sat there patiently. This was easier than he expected. Maybe on some level she _did_ want to be rescued from the stupid bargain she'd made with Klaus? While she hadn't been exactly chatty, or at all grateful, she hadn't been rude or combative either. It was too much to hope for anything more.

It took less than two minutes for him to procure the key. It hadn't even been necessary to compel the clerk into forgetting them. The manager's office had been empty, the drone of the TV coming from the back room. Damon had simply taken the key to bungalow seven off the hook on the wall and left a fifty-dollar bill on the counter. Easy as pie.

Less easy was getting along with Elena in her present state of mind. Who would've thought his fantasies of getting her alone in a hotel room would be so off base?

"There's no air conditioning," she complained the moment they stepped into the room.

"You'll live," Damon replied, forcing open a window that had been painted shut many times over, with a single finger.

"Only one bed. I guess you'll be sleeping on the floor then?" A hopeful note crept into her voice.

"Yeah, right. If you're the squeamish one, _you_ can sleep on the floor. I'm not giving up my night's sleep because you decided to be a prude." She didn't reply to that, and Damon was fairly certain he could talk her into sharing the bed later.

"No cable TV."

"Are you always this whiny with Stefan?" Damon plopped on the edge of the bed.

"Only when I'm bored out of my mind."

"I can think of ways to entertain you if you're feeling adventurous." He flashed his eyes playfully, but her resulting look was less than enthusiastic at the notion.

"At least there's a shower with clean towels," Elena sighed, peeking into the bathroom.

"And no bugs," he volunteered, sensing that would ease her mind.

"How can you tell?"

Damon tapped his ear. "Trust me, there are no bugs."

"Well, I'm going to take a shower now." Elena disappeared into the bathroom, the click of the lock sounding loud and clear in the silence.

"Enjoy," he called out, stretching out on the bed as he tried not to imagine what was going on in there. On second thought, he allowed his imagination to roam free while he heard the water running, every movement his sensitive ears picked up sparking a vivid image in his mind. Damon was still smiling when she emerged, a short white towel wrapped around her body and one around her hair.

"I'd like to change now," she said, waiting expectantly.

"Go right ahead." He didn't mind this view either.

"Would you mind stepping out for a few minutes?"

"What for?"

"I'd like some privacy."

"Use the bathroom."

"It's all steamy and muggy in there," she balked, looking back over her shoulder with distaste.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before you know," he pointed out.

Elena's head whipped around, dislodging the towel wrapped around her hair. "When have you ever seen me naked?"

"Doppelganger, remember? I've seen every glorious inch of that body, many times over." Damon grinned like the cat that ate the canary while she gaped at him. "Have I mentioned that I have an excellent memory?" God, she was adorable when she got all riled up. Even from there he could hear the blood pumping faster through her veins.

With a visible effort, she tried to shrug it away, as if it didn't bother her. "So what? It's not me."

"But I can definitely tell what's beneath that towel."

Her eyes narrowed into angry slits. "Enjoy those memories then, that's the closest you'll ever get to seeing any more of me." Scooping up her clothes, Elena disappeared back into the bathroom with a slam of the door.

Maybe this would be fun after all…

* * *

After declaring a truce, they set aside the hostility and settled in to watch an old movie on the grainy black and white TV. It was a nostalgic moment for Damon, who remembered living in a motel much like this one fifty or so years ago. With his hair slicked back, leather jacket and a motorcycle, Damon had fully embraced the rebel without a cause look, and he had fond memories of a time when people were much more easily shocked. Good times.

The buzz of his phone drew him from those pleasant memories and Damon looked down to see a text message from an unknown number. _U owe me_, it read, and included an attachment, a picture of Katherine and Stefan on what looked like a subway or a train.

"Looks like baby brother's out doing his part." He leaned over to show her the screen.

"What are they doing?" A pucker of worry appeared on her brow as she saw them together.

"Out trying to mask our trail is what I'd guess. They'd be stupid to stick around town with an angry Original on their tail."

Elena stared at the image until the backlight went out and she let go of the phone. "Do you think we can trust her?"

Damon bit back the retort that sprang to his lips, not wanting to get her all wound up again just when they were getting along semi-well. "No, but as long as it lines up with what she wants, I think we're okay."

"But how do we know what she wants?" Elena asked, the movie forgotten.

"Stefan is what she wants," he reminded her candidly.

"Great." She fell back against the pillow with a sour twist of the lips. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"

He offered a half shrug. "I'm just being honest. I thought you liked my honesty?" Half the time she even smiled over his blunt delivery.

"Yeah, I just hate feeling so…"

"Cooped up?"

"Powerless," came the reply in a forlorn voice.

"And here I thought it was the lack of HBO that's putting you in such a mood," he smirked.

"I don't deserve that, Damon." Elena flinched as if he'd struck her, and he felt about an inch high.

"I know. I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way," he admitted.

"You do?"

"Sure I do. It's not exactly the best feeling in the world knowing you're going up against someone who's older and stronger than you are, when you've been the big dog on the block for over a hundred years." It stuck in his throat to have to admit he was weaker than _anyone_.

"Okay, but he'd pretty much make any vampire feel that way, right? That's nothing to feel bad about."

There she was trying to make him feel better when at least half of this was his fault. That was part of why he loved her, her generosity of spirit. "Yeah well, I'd take on the entire family of Originals to keep you safe." Damon pushed a tendril of hair that hung over her eyes back, tucking it around her ear. With great difficulty he pulled his gaze from hers, struggling to put aloof disinterest into his voice. "We should get some sleep, we'll be moving on tomorrow."

Elena stared back at him a long time, unmoving until she blinked. "We're not staying here?"

"As charming as this place is, no. We should keep moving, it'll be safer that way. Now, are you gonna be a baby about sharing the bed or can we get some sleep?"

"You won't try anything?" Elena hesitated before climbing under the covers.

"Scout's honor." He held up a hand in a fair approximation of the Boy Scout salute.

"Were you ever a Boy Scout?"

"What do you think?" Damon smirked, pulling his slim fitting t-shirt up and over his head, though he kept his pants on to preserve her modesty. To his amusement she didn't reply, but she did climb under the covers without further argument. Damon could feel the heat radiating off of her body and fought the urge to pull her up close to his side. Somehow he thought that might tip the scales and send her to hole up in the bathroom for the night, and he really did want her to be able to get some rest. Instead he closed his eyes, content to listen to the rhythm of her breathing as she settled down for the night.

"Goodnight Elena," he said softly as her breath grew steady and deep.

* * *

_Her laughter floated back to him as he chased her through the maze of hedges. Every time he turned a corner, Damon caught the flounce of her full skirts, or the tempting sight of long, dark curls bouncing against shoulders scandalously bare for the hour. She could have outrun him at any time, but she teased him, playing with him as she always did, and Damon allowed it, as he always did. _

"_Catch me if you can!" Her words were playful but mocking, as if she never expected him to measure up, but Damon knew better. He was smarter than she gave him credit for. Taking a short cut, he plunged through the hedge, only to pop up right in front of her, arms clasping around her tiny waist with a shout of victory. _

"_I caught you fair and square, now you owe me a kiss." He grinned from ear to ear._

"_Fair and square? You cheated," she pouted prettily, allowing him to hold her close. "But very well, to the victor go the spoils." _

_That was all he needed to hear and Damon covered her lips with his in a passionate kiss, determined to make her respond whether she wanted to or not. At first, he could tell she was just letting him kiss her, but after a few seconds she started to kiss him back. Her small, powerful hands pulled him closer until she reared her head back and he braced himself for what he knew came next. _

_Her teeth sank into his throat, and he moaned in half pleasure, half pain. It seemed to go on forever until he grew dizzy, and only then did she stop. "Tell me that you want me as much as I want you," he murmured, nose pressed against her fragrant hair. _

"_I never wanted you," she purred at his ear as though she was murmuring sweet words of love. "You didn't think I did, did you?" Pulling back, she fixed him with a look of pity. "Aw, you did, how sweet," she mocked him again. Always mocking him, taking delight in his torment. How could he love such a monster? _

_Something snapped inside him and the urge to hurt her back became uncontrollable. As his fingers closed around her throat those dark, almond shaped eyes still sparkled with mirth, her body shaking with silent laughter. Damon pressed harder and harder, determined to wipe that smile off her face. He wanted to make her suffer, make her feel… something, anything for him besides amused contempt. If he couldn't have her love he would settle for her fear or even hate. _

_Her face changed then, eyes widening in fear and a rush of triumph swept through him. Until… _

"_Damon," she gasped. The tone and inflection could have been Katherine's, but some extra sense clued him in to the fact that it wasn't Katherine in his arms, it was Elena. All at once he felt the rush of blood thundering through her veins, growing fainter and fainter while his hands continued to choke the life out of her of their own volition. _

_In a panic he let go of her neck, cradling her body to his as he desperately searched for a pulse, but her fragile form was still and limp. An inarticulate cry of pure agony tore from his lips. What had he done? _

_What had he done?_

* * *

Another kick.

Elena started to wonder if he was doing it on purpose just to bug her, but she wasn't giving up the bed, no way. "Cut it out, Damon," she growled, nudging him with her elbow. Since when was he so childish anyway? It was one thing trying to get a rise out of her, but quite another to resort to keeping her from sleep after he'd been the one to insist they share the bed in the first place. A low moan came from behind her, and she couldn't tell if it was a happy sound or a bad sound from the inflection. Rolling over, she peered at him in the darkness. "Damon?"

Another kick.

"Damn it, stop kicking me!" Elena's voice rose as she bolted up in bed, pushing the hair out of her eyes. A strangled cry came from his lips and his pale face twisted as if in pain. "Damon?" Her voice dropped with concern as she reached out to gently shake him free of the dream. He didn't respond, the dream holding tight, and an edge of panic crept into her voice as he cried out again, shaking him harder. "Damon!"

Those brilliant blue eyes snapped open, dazed and confused for the space of several heartbeats until he pulled her close, burying his head against her stomach. "I'll never hurt you again, I promise." His voice throbbed against her middle, arms holding her gently as though she might break.

Of all the things he could have said, those words left her absolutely stunned. Had Damon been dreaming he'd hurt her? Her arms closed around him instinctively, fingers sifting through his hair in a soothing manner. "Shh, Damon… I'm fine. Nothing bad happened, it was just a dream."

Damon stiffened. Pulling away, he perched on the edge of the bed, facing away from her. "Right, of course you are."

Elena scooted closer to try and read his expression. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing, it was only a dream." Damon rolled his head first one way and then the other, stretching his neck. "I'm gonna go get a bit of fresh air."

Watching him get up like he didn't have a care in the world, Elena was silent while he stepped out of the room in bare feet with no shirt on. Of course he wouldn't feel the cold, but she couldn't help worry about what was going on inside that thick skull of his. The sky was already starting to grow brighter with pre-dawn light and she rolled back under the covers, her eyes on the door, sleep eluding her while he was still out there.

With Damon gone, her gaze fell to his cell phone, sitting on the beside table. She might not get another chance like this, and if Katherine could send him texts, why couldn't she send a quick message to Stefan? Fingers flying over the keypad, she sent a brief text, eyes half on the door, expecting Damon to return at any moment.

_Hey, it's Elena, r u ok?_

Seconds later the response came in. _I'm fine, the better question is, are you alright?_ Trust Stefan not to take any shortcuts, but then again, he was faster at texting anyway.

_I'm good_, she sent back. _Wish u were here tho._

_It isn't for long, just two more nights and we can make our plans for what comes next._

Elena held the phone in her hand, weighing whether or not to ask the next question. _Is K with u?_

There was a longer delay this time but then a blank reply came with a picture attached with Katherine obviously holding the camera, her lips in a pouty smile while she leaned close to Stefan, her hair tousled like she'd just gotten out of bed. Stefan's expression could best be defined as a scowl.

_Guess so_, Elena sent back, trying to tamp down the irrational jealousy that rose up at seeing them together. Just because Katherine wanted Stefan didn't mean he'd cheat on her, Elena knew that and she trusted him. After all she'd slept in the same bed with Damon the night before and nothing had happened. So why did it bother her to see them together?

_Miss you. _

Elena was about to respond in kind, when the door flung open and Damon snatched the phone out of her hands. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I was just…"

"I thought I told you not to contact Stefan? Damn it, Elena, can't you stay away from him for just a few days?"

The look in his eyes scared her for a moment and she scooted back on the bed, only to freeze when he fell to his knees with a strangled cry, clutching his head. "Damon? What is it, what's wrong?"

His tortured face turned up with a pleading look, struggling to speak but the pain was too great. When he managed to push through the pain, only one word hissed out from between his lips. "Run…"

**A/N: Dun, dun, dun… you guys remember my cliffhangers, right? Who do you think is hot on their heels? **

**Feedback is Love**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do like to take them for a spin every now and again…**

**Good guesses guys, a witch is definitely on their trail. But which witch? **

_Elena held the phone in her hand, weighing whether or not to ask the next question. *is K with u?*_

_There was a longer delay this time but then a blank reply came with a picture attached with Katherine obviously holding the camera, her lips in a pouty smile while she leaned close to Stefan, her hair tousled like she'd just gotten out of bed. Stefan's expression could best be defined as a scowl._

_*guess so* Elena sent back, trying to tamp down the irrational jealousy that rose up at seeing them together. Just because Katherine wanted Stefan didn't mean he'd cheat on her, Elena knew that and she trusted him. After all she'd slept in the same bed with Damon the night before and nothing had happened. So why did it bother her to see them together? _

_*miss you* _

_Elena was about to respond in kind, when the door was flung open and Damon snatched the phone out of her hands. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"_

"_I was just…"_

"_I thought I told you not to contact Stefan? Damn it Elena, can't you stay away from him for just a few days?"_

_The look in his eyes scared her for a moment and she scooted back on the bed, only to freeze when he fell to his knees with a strangled cry, clutching his head. "Damon? What is it, what's wrong?" _

_His tortured face turned up with a pleading look, struggling to speak but the pain was too great. When he managed to push through the pain, only one word hissed out from between his lips. "Run…"_

* * *

His head felt like it was going to explode.

Strike that, it felt like it _was_ exploding, over and over again, until Damon prayed for a blow strong enough to knock him out. But then he wouldn't see what happened to Elena. That thought alone gave him the strength to cling to consciousness long enough to see that instead of running like anyone with half a brain would have done by now, Elena crouched beside him, her lips moving, though he couldn't fathom what she was saying through all the pain. Even without words, her message was clear – she wasn't leaving without him. Slender hands tugged at him, trying to get him to his feet, but Damon barely got one leg under him when the pain intensified and he could only mutter weakly, "Too… late. Get… away…"

Elena hesitated, clearly torn between her survival instincts and staying behind to help him in such a weak state, when a shadow appeared in the doorway. Grabbing a nearby lamp, the only portable weapon in sight, Elena stood her ground beside him. His heart would have swelled with joy if Damon hadn't been convinced he was about to die a spectacularly painful death.

In the space of a heartbeat, Damon knew true regret; he had failed her and now she would be the one to pay the price. No amount of swagger or charm would change that this was all his fault, and he'd never get the chance to tell her those three little words that had driven it all. It was a small consolation to think that when she died and came back as a vampire Elena would remember his confession of love that had been wiped clean with compulsion. She might hate him for turning her, but at least she would know it came from love instead of reckless pride. Damon struggled to keep his eyes open, needing Elena to be the last face he saw before he slipped into oblivion.

Instead she jumped up and left his side with a shout, and the pain shut off so abruptly, its absence was almost as painful. "Bonnie! Thank God!" He heard Elena say, and only then did Damon allow himself to close his eyes. But it was a cruel trick, just as he caught his breath, the pain resumed, drawing a weak moan from his lips.

"Let him go!" Elena gasped, crouching back beside him again.

Bonnie's face was intent on the vampire, her concentration split between keeping Damon down and talking to Elena. "Come with me, Elena. I can keep him here like this until we're far away."

"Didn't you hear me? Let him go!" Elena pleaded, still shocked by the rapidly changing series of events.

"But he took you without your permission, right?" Bonnie gave no sign of dropping her control over Damon, and he shot a murderous look up at the witch. Maybe he could get some kind of special helmet like the one that comic book guy wore? Okay, so it wasn't exactly a chick magnet, but if it spared him the pain long enough to wring the witch's neck…

"Yes, but… Bonnie, I said let him go!" Elena grabbed Bonnie's arm, shaking her out of that deadly concentration, and Damon's body slumped over, limp. "Damon, are you alright?" She laid her hand on his brow, and that was better than the coolest drink of water on a parched throat. For a moment he lay there enjoying that simple contact, before his usual smirk snapped into place.

"Oh yeah, I'm great. Best time ever," he cracked, pushing himself up into a seated position, leaning with his back against the side of the bed. "So, I guess Bonnie found us," he said unnecessarily.

"Are you really alright?" Elena's eyes searched his face, prompting a more genuine smile from him in return. On some level, she really did care.

"Don't worry, I'm not down for the count yet," he winked.

Bonnie stood there watching the exchange between the two, her lips compressed into a frown of disapproval. Taking in Elena's clothing, Damon's shirtless form and the rumpled bed, her expression grew more confused. "What's going on here?"

"It's a garden party." Damon gave her a withering look. "What do you think is going on here? I was trying to keep Elena safe before you punched holes through my brain like Swiss cheese. Thanks for that, by the way." He pushed himself up to his feet.

"We're hiding out until the full moon passes so we can have another month to figure out what to do about Klaus," Elena stepped up with the explanation.

Bonnie's mouth dropped open. "Together? Elena, you were in on this?"

"I… can see the logic in giving ourselves a little more time, yeah," she replied with a glance to Damon.

"Elena, I told you, I can defeat Klaus," Bonnie insisted, "I know I can."

"That might be something you're willing to risk, but I'm not." Elena shook her head adamantly, and Damon recognized that look from the stubborn set of her shoulders. It was a look just like that one that hatched his plan to kidnap her for her own good in the first place. "How did you find us?" Elena asked, changing the subject.

Bonnie looked like she might argue the point longer but conceded to answer the question. "I did a locator spell using something of yours to point me in the right direction. Which Klaus' witch should be able to do as well, that's how Luka found you before."

"Then they could already be on their way." Elena was already pulling her jeans on, looking for her shoes.

Feeling better, Damon extended his senses, but the only one around was the motel proprietor who was snoring like a freight train. "There's no one nearby for now."

"You didn't exactly hear me coming though did you?" Bonnie pointed out.

"I was a little distracted at the time," Damon replied, glancing at the rumpled sheets with a sly grin. Let her take whatever she wanted to out of that.

Bonnie's head cocked to one side, eerily similar to the expression on Damon's face when he listened for anyone nearby. "We're safe, for the moment," she allowed, her stance relaxing somewhat.

Elena pulled her hair up into a high pony tail. "Are you coming with us then?" It wasn't exactly what Damon had in mind, but the witch beat him to the punch.

"No, we'll make a bigger target that way. Stefan and Katherine are out trying to lead Klaus to New York, and in the meantime, I came to give you an extra edge."

So she _had_ known Elena was safe with him if she'd already talked to Stefan. What the hell was that attack about then? Not for the first time Damon considered how the world would improve with one less witch in it.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Damon sat on the edge of the bed, pulling his shirt on. _This ought to be good._

"There's a spell I can do to mask your presence, that way Klaus won't be able to track you," she replied, and Elena gasped in astonishment.

"You can do that?"

"Of course I can," Bonnie replied confidently.

Damon rubbed his hands together, things were looking up. "Great, let's get to it." There was more to the plan, he could see that in Bonnie's eyes, and he could guess where it was headed.

"I brought everything along, I just need some space to get set up." Bonnie tugged the bedspread up neatly with an air of distaste, laying out the components she needed to get the spell up and running. Damon took up a position by the door, watching over the proceedings with a skeptical eye. Handy as it was, he didn't trust magic; he'd seen people burned by it too many times in his life.

Elena approached him, her voice pitched low so as not to disturb Bonnie's concentration. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied easily.

"No really, are you?" Elena pressed, concern etched over her features. "That looked painful." Reaching up to touch the side of his face, Damon caught her hand, shrugging off her touch at first, but he couldn't resist holding onto her hand for a fraction of a moment longer than necessary before he let go.

"Hey, if I'd known that's what it takes to make you care I would have had the witch barbecue my brains a long time ago," he smirked.

"That's not funny."

"No, it's really not," he agreed wholeheartedly, eyes flicking to Bonnie who was chanting with her eyes closed. "I'll be a lot happier when Sabrina the teenage bitch goes on her merry way."

"Where are we going after this?" Elena changed the subject, obviously not liking to be caught in the middle between the two of them.

"I have something in mind, somewhere more remote."

"More remote than this?" She looked around dubiously.

"Remote is sounding better and better," he muttered, eyes still on Bonnie before looking back to Elena. "We'll have to stop off somewhere for supplies though." Either that or fall upon some campers and steal their belongings, but then he might end up with an overabundance of plaid. Damon didn't do plaid.

"And breakfast, I'm starving," Elena yawned.

"Me too." Damon could see the moment of apprehension in her eyes as she digested the fact that he didn't mean waffles and bacon.

"Did you bring anything for yourself to eat?" Her voice dropped as if she was afraid Bonnie might hear them.

"I thought I'd dine alfresco tonight, I should be able to hold out until then," he replied with a half shrug, and he could see her mind spinning scenarios, trying to decide if he meant wildlife, a blood bank, or something more dangerous.

"You'll want to keep your strength up," she said carefully.

"Are you offering?" Damon's eyes locked upon Elena's, and as the silence stretched between them, for an instant, he thought she might say yes.

"I'm ready," Bonnie announced, and once again Damon was ready to throttle her. "Elena, come over here and sit on the bed."

Elena's eyes remained on Damon's a moment longer before turning to comply. "What do I need to do?"

"Not much, just sit right there across from me and give me your hands." Bonnie held her hands out, palms up. It didn't take long. As near as Damon could tell it involved some candles and a lot of gibberish words. At one point the candle on the bed between them flamed higher and higher, and he started to think it might catch one of them on fire, but then it winked out of existence, the acrid smell of smoke permeating the air. "Okay, that's it, we're all set." Bonnie replied, eyes opening.

"That's it? We're good?" Elena blinked.

"That's it. Oh, one more thing though, you'll have to wear this." Bonnie handed over a necklace with a tiny silver filigree pendant. "It'll act as a catalyst to keep you masked, so be sure to wear it all the time, even in the shower."

Elena accepted the necklace, studying the ornate vial with interest. "It's pretty, what's inside?"

"Oh, you know, just components for the spell, eye of newt, tongue of bat. Stuff like that," Bonnie grinned. "Here, I'll take your necklace and hold it for you." She held her hand out.

Hesitating for a moment, Elena's hand closed over the necklace Stefan had given to her. "You think I should take this one off?"

"Yeah, you're taking higher doses of vervain now, right? So you don't need the necklace anymore. Don't worry, I'll keep it safe for you." Bonnie held her hand out a little farther and something pricked at Damon's bullshit meter. All at once he caught on to what was going on and didn't bother to mask the smirk that rose to his lips.

"Ah, okay," Elena agreed, hands going to the clasp behind her neck.

"Here, let me help you with that," he offered, undoing the clasp of Elena's necklace and fastening the new one around her neck. "This one is so last season anyway." He tossed it to Bonnie who deftly caught it and put it in her pocket.

"So that's it? I'm safe then?"

"They can't find you by means of magic as long as you have that on," Bonnie replied confidently. "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't stay out of sight. I wouldn't stay here if I were you."

"Thanks, Bonnie." Elena leaned forward to catch her in a hug.

"I'd do anything for you, Elena," she whispered fiercely, holding tight to her friend.

"Aw, isn't that sweet." Damon rolled his eyes. "As much as I like a little girl on girl action, we really should make some tracks. That breakfast isn't getting any closer to your belly while we sit here, remember?"

"Right, let me brush my teeth real quick, okay?"

"I wasn't gonna say anything but yeah, please do," Damon teased, his smile lengthening once she was out of the room and he approached Bonnie. "You traded places with her, didn't you?" he asked in a low voice.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Sure you do. You masked her scent, or whatever you want to call it, with your own. That's what that business was with switching the necklaces, right? So now when Klaus goes looking for Elena it'll lead him straight to you." It was brilliant really, he only wished he'd thought of it himself.

Her chin came up a fraction, a defiant look in her eyes. "What if I did?"

"Hey, you'll get no argument from me, I think it's a great plan." His hands came up in a supplicating gesture. If Bonnie intended to sacrifice herself for Elena's sake that was all for the good as far as he was concerned. "I'll hold up my end of the bargain in keeping her safe. We'll both do whatever it takes, right?" At seeing her nod, Damon leaned closer still. "I'm glad we understand each other. Don't blow it, I'd hate to have to hunt you down."

Bonnie gave another short nod, her eyes grave. "If I blow it and Elena dies, you won't have to hunt me down. I'll already be dead."

**A/N: You guys might recall that Bonnie is not my favorite character and she certainly didn't endear herself to me in this chapter, but she has her uses! So where do you guys think our favorite pair are off to next? **

**BTW it's been fun for me to look at my old author's notes on these chapters. I was getting ready to publish my first book when this story originally came out. Thirty odd books later, it's cute to see how excited I was about designing the cover for Angel of Mercy!**

**Feedback is Love**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but sometimes I do wish Damon would kidnap me…**

**Oh… just a note. Please remember that at the time this was written, we didn't know as much as we do now about Damon's past, or Elena's for that matter. So there's some license with that in the coming chapters. But hey, it's AU anyway, right? **

"_You traded places with her, didn't you?" He asked in a low voice._

"_I don't know what you mean."_

"_Sure you do. You masked her scent, or whatever you want to call it, with your own. That's what that business was with switching the necklaces, right? So now when Klaus goes looking for Elena it'll lead him straight to you." It was brilliant really; he only wished he'd thought of it himself._

_Her chin came up a fraction, a defiant look in her eyes. "So what if I did?"_

"_Hey, you'll get no argument from me; I think it's a great plan." His hands came up in a supplicating gesture. If Bonnie intended to sacrifice herself for Elena's sake that was all for the good as far as he was concerned. "I'll hold up my end of the bargain in keeping her safe. We'll both do whatever it takes, right?" At seeing her nod, Damon leaned closer still. "I'm glad we understand each other. Don't let me down; I'd hate to have to hunt you down."_

_Bonnie gave another short nod, her eyes grave. "If I let you down and Elena dies… you won't have to hunt me down, I'll already be dead."_

* * *

It didn't take very long to clear out of the motel, and after another goodbye hug, Bonnie was on her way. Elena shielded her eyes from the bright morning sun as she stepped out into the parking lot, wishing for a pair of sunglasses. Damon brushed past her to put their bags in the back of the blue mustang they'd _borrowed_. He seemed to like the older style in cars, she noticed. Or maybe it had to do with less chance of a GPS in the car which would lead the police to a stolen vehicle that much faster. No matter the reason, Elena couldn't fault his choice in automobiles, the sleek convertible was perfect for the early summer weather and she was looking forward to getting out on the road again.

Moving to pull the car door open, Damon was faster, his hand on the door handle seconds before her hand closed over his cool skin. Instead of pulling the door open for her like she'd thought he would, Damon blocked her way with his body, advancing into her personal space, which in effect, backed her into the car.

"Let's get one thing straight before we move on here," he began in a reasonable tone.

"Okay, what's that?" Elena replied equably. With Damon there was no point in even trying to guess what he might want to talk about.

"When I tell you to run, you'd better run."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Damon you don't really think I'd leave you behind like that."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I expect you to do. Otherwise, what's the point in any of this? If you have such little sense of self preservation we might as well turn around and go back to Mystic Falls right now."

Was that even an option? Had Damon had a change of heart? "You make it sound like I have a death wish or something," she protested.

"Do you?"

His blue eyes bored into hers, those eyes that made Elena squirm uncomfortably when they saw too much. Like they did right now. "I don't want to die. I just don't want anyone else to die in my place. Can you understand that distinction?" She looked up at him, meeting the challenge of his gaze. "Not even you." Something passed over his features, and she thought he might say more on the subject, but after a fleeting second it was gone, his usual smirk fixed in place.

"So. my status has been upgraded then, huh? I'm no longer on your hit list?" Damon stood his ground. If anything, he leaned in closer, leaving barely an inch of space between them.

"I'm not in any danger of turning into a vampire if I die now, so that's a point in your favor," she allowed, trying to ignore the fact that parts of her were very aware of how close he was, even though her face remained neutral. Knowing that he was likely doing it to get a reaction out of her, she tried not to let it show.

"I can always change that if you decide you want an insurance policy," he offered with a wolfish grin.

"I'll pass thanks, I like being a human girl." Someday that might change, but for now, Elena wasn't ready to make any kind of decision that could last for all eternity.

"That's okay, I like you being a human girl too." Damon's head canted to one side and he leaned even closer. Was he smelling her hair? Elena's hand came up to push against his chest, needing to do something to keep from finding out where this was going because part of her was _very _curious.

"We should, um…" Her mind blanked for a second and Elena had to turn her head away to clear it. "Breakfast right? You said something about food?" Elena fancied she could feel the lightest brush against her ear of what might be his lips, but she refused to look up at him.

"Alright then, let's get this show on the road." He moved away, pulling the door open with him. "Those pancakes won't eat themselves."

When Elena did look up, he was all smiles, and she couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

* * *

Damon's mood was considerably brighter when they left the motel. The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky. Although they'd been found easier than he would have liked by Katherine and Bonnie, there was no sign of Klaus or his flunkies. He had Elena in the seat next to him – willingly no less, without having to bind and gag her. Okay, so she wasn't his girl, but with Stefan nowhere in sight it was the closest he'd gotten to it since their trip to Georgia. If he could just get her to cut loose and relax, then maybe she could remember how nice it was to have fun sometimes, instead of doom and gloom all the time.

Breakfast passed without incident, Damon tried to curb one appetite by indulging another, matching Elena bite for bite with bacon, eggs, home fries, and blueberry pancakes at the roadside diner they stopped at. He'd have to eat something more to his tastes before too long, he hadn't been joking about that, but he could hold off that craving for a while longer.

First, he wanted to get Elena settled in at their new hideout. For what he had in mind that meant supplies. That meant shopping, which meant people. Not something he was looking forward to. Not because he was worried about being spotted by Klaus but because he was enjoying having Elena to himself for once.

Elena though… wasn't enjoying it quite as much. It bothered her to have him glued to her side every step of the way, even if she could understand his need to protect her. At the sporting goods store she immediately split off to go look at a rack of sunglasses, jumping when she saw Damon in the mirror behind her. "I can manage to pick out a pair of sunglasses by myself if you want to go get whatever it was you wanted to buy here."

"Naw, there's no rush. Besides, you might want my opinion on what suits you the best." Damon made no move to leave her side, reaching past her to pick out a pair.

"I'll be fine."

"Don't care," Damon smiled cheerfully. "I'm not letting you out of my sight." They had all day as far as he was concerned. If a pair of sunglasses would make her happy, he was happy to stand around and watch her pick out a pair.

"Fine," Elena muttered, ignoring the pair he'd chosen for her. "Do you want to come to the bathroom with me too?" she pouted, and he was tempted to tweak that lower lip.

"I'll pass, I'll be able to hear you fine from out here."

"Eewh!" Her eyes narrowed in disgust.

"Yeah well, it's not the highpoint of my day either," he muttered. There were all sorts of things he normally tuned out with his enhanced hearing, but with trying to be extra vigilant for her safety, there wasn't a whole lot of privacy. But that wasn't something he wanted her to dwell on. Instead he grabbed her hand, tugging her deeper into the store. "Come on, I want to get a good look at the tents they have on display."

"Are we going camping?" That caught her interest.

"Yep, that way I can hear anyone coming a mile away and we'll be completely off the grid. You don't mind roughing it for a couple of days, do you?" He was hoping not, especially since she'd been game to go tromping through the underbrush with Stefan.

"No, I love camping," Elena replied enthusiastically. Falling into the spirit of the idea very quickly, she suggested all sorts of things to buy to make their trip more convenient. Damon balked though when she picked out a huge, two room tent.

"No way I'm toting that monstrosity through the woods. You do get that we're hiking to the campsite, right? No cars, just the two of us on foot?" Not that he would find any of it a huge burden with his strength, but he had other reasons for wanting a smaller tent.

"Oh, how far will we be hiking?" Elena considered, looking at the contents of the shopping cart with new eyes.

"I'm not sure exactly. We'll want to camp in a well secluded area, that means at least a couple of miles from the road. Plus, we'll want to be near a fresh water source so we don't have to cart it all in with us. I have a place in mind but I couldn't say how far a walk it is."

Elena accepted that, opting for a smaller, three-man tent. After that they stuck to the essentials, including two sturdy packs and a pair of good hiking boots for each of them. She steered him away from the dehydrated meals, saying it would be better to hit a regular grocery store than to try and palate the ready-made stuff. Since he didn't plan on eating any of those supplies, he allowed her to dictate what foodstuffs they purchased.

"We have to buy marshmallows," Elena insisted in the grocery aisle, drawing a raised brow from Damon.

"We _have _to," he repeated. "As in, it's a moral imperative?"

"As in, you can't go camping without marshmallows," she replied as if that was the most obvious statement in the world. "Besides, they don't weigh much."

"Okay, okay, marshmallows it is," he sighed, as if conceding some big point when all the while he was smiling on the inside over how much more relaxed she was already. It was hard not to imagine that this was what his life might be like. Ignoring the whole threat to Elena's life with an Original hot on their tails, this might be what taking a camping trip with his girl might be like. With one very big difference – if Elena were truly his, they'd be sharing a sleeping bag that night (and hopefully a lot more than that). But for now, this was enough.

* * *

Damon wasn't a huge fan of nature. He was more of a luxurious resort kind of guy. Room service, big screen TV, nightclubs for a little dancing at night, maybe a lazy massage during the day. But he was a big fan of hiking behind Elena in a pair of cut off shorts and a tank top. The breezy summer day turned scorching hot once they hit the noon hour, the canopy of branches providing less relief than they would have thought. Suddenly Elena was willing to risk a few mosquito bites in exchange for a cooling breeze over her legs. Damon had been only too happy to help by deftly cutting the legs free from her jeans, promising to buy her a new pair as soon as they returned to civilization.

More than once she asked him if he was comfortable in his leather jacket and black jeans, and he took pleasure in answering that he was just fine, smiling to himself over every disgusted comment that came from her lips as he braved the heat without trouble. He also made sure to give her only the lightest of provisions for her pack, taking the brunt of the weight for himself.

Still, despite being hot and sweaty, Elena seemed to be having the time of her life. Chatting animatedly about past camping trips with her family and friends, more than once she stopped to admire a bunch of scrubby trees or a weed-choked clearing that she called "peaceful". Damon started to wonder if Stefan had the right of it taking her hiking on the day before the sacrifice after all.

"Didn't you spend much time outside as a kid?" she asked, dropping back to trek beside him when the path widened.

"Stefan and I did, sure, when we were younger. We were outside every chance we got, but my family wasn't into the whole… outdoors bonding time like yours was. In fact, my father didn't like it when we came home all dirty and scuffed up like a _pack of vagabonds_," Damon replied, his features clouding. "And when I was older, the time I spent camping was during the war."

"Oh." Elena fell silent for the space of a few steps. "I forgot about that. You never talk about it."

"It isn't anything I like to carry with me," he shrugged, wishing she would change the subject. "It wasn't like it is in the movies, or in all of the Founder's Day crap."

"But you still came to them," she pointed out.

_For you_, he said silently, trudging on without replying.

"I saw you reading _Gone with the Wind_ before," she tried again.

"Yeah, let's just say I like high maintenance chicks that are a real pain in the ass," he winked at her.

"Are you calling me high maintenance?"

Damon laughed when Elena didn't dispute that she was a pain in the ass sometimes. "No, but Katherine was."

"But you both still fell in love with her." Elena's voice was subdued.

"We all do stupid things when we're young," he said with a half shrug. "I mean look at you and Stefan." He couldn't resist teasing, just to get a reaction out of her.

"You're implying that I won't still be with him when I'm older and less stupid?" She fixed him with a sidelong look.

Damon weighed his answer carefully before responding. "I think at some point you'll figure out what you really want, instead of what you think you should want."

"And you think that's going to be you?" she scoffed.

"Stranger things have been known to happen. I've been told I'm an acquired taste." He flashed his eyes at her.

"And what happens next in this scenario of yours? I run into your arms to tell you I've seen the error of my ways and you'll be what, waiting for me, no matter how long it takes?" She raised a brow, radiating skepticism.

_Damn fucking right he would_. "Maybe, if you say pretty please," Damon grinned, liking this fantasy and the fact that she was almost flirting with him. Almost.

"I wish you wouldn't wait around for something that might never happen," she said sadly, stopping to pull out a bottle of water.

"Yeah well, we don't always get what we wish for." It was interesting to him that she didn't say it definitely would never happen.

Elena paused, the water bottle lifted to her lips. "That day may never come."

"But if it does?" _Then he would be ready_.

Elena looked up, meeting his gaze. "Then that'll be an interesting day."

**A/N: More camping coming next. If any of you have ever slept in a three-man tent, you know just how cramped quarters it's gonna be. **

**BTW If anyone is interested in any of my books please stop by my website (you can find the link on my profile page). **

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish Damon would kidnap me…**

"_I've been told I'm an acquired taste," he flashed his eyes at her._

"_And what happens next in this scenario of yours? I run into your arms to tell you I've seen the error of my ways and you'll be what, waiting for me, no matter how long it takes?" A skeptical brow was raised._

_Damn fucking right he would. "Maybe, if you say pretty please," Damon grinned, liking this little fantasy and the fact that she was almost flirting with him. Almost._

"_I wish you wouldn't wait around for something that might never happen," she said sadly, stopping to pull out a bottle of water._

"_Yeah well we don't always get what we wish for." It was interesting to him that she didn't say it definitely would never happen._

_Elena paused, the water bottle lifted to her lips. "That day may never come."_

"_But if it does…" then he would be ready._

_Elena looked up, meeting his gaze. "Then that'll be an interesting day."_

* * *

An hour later they found a perfect campsite with enough cleared space for the tent and a fire, and a fallen log to sit on. An hour after that, the tent was up with the campfire going, Elena cheerfully busying herself with preparing dinner. She looked so happy that Damon didn't have the heart to break it to her that he hadn't been planning on eating at all. Instead he vowed to eat very little, just enough to be polite. Christ… when had he started to worry about being polite? Next thing he'd be offering to give her the tent and sleep outside. Yeah, there was no chance of that.

The three-man tent turned out to be tiny, and Elena muttered that the men must have been munchkins to fit three of them in the thing. But Damon assured her it would be room enough for the two of them and they'd gotten through the night before without any problems. Unless she counted his crazy dreams. He hoped like hell he'd be spared anything like that again.

After dinner was eaten and Elena had stuffed herself with marshmallows, they huddled in front of the fire as the darkness encroached, backs propped up against the fallen log. Damon produced a bottle from his pack, raising it to his lips with the same gusto that she'd reached for the marshmallows.

"Why do you drink so much?" The question came, and he could feel her eyes on him even though he kept his gaze trained on the flickering fire.

"I will only answer that if you take a drink too." He held the bottle up, but she didn't take it.

"Don't you think we should stay alert?"

Damon took another drink, turning to give her a sidelong glance. "We're in the middle of nowhere. Besides, even if you were alert, what would you do if Klaus showed up? Stumble over your surrender? Trust me, you can afford to take a drink or two."

Elena looked affronted at that for about ten seconds and then grabbed for the bottle, taking a dainty sip. "Okay, so why do you drink so much? Tell me."

For a long moment he considered opening up to her but decided at the last minute that he didn't feel like getting into it. "I lied, I don't feel like talking about it." Grabbing the bottle back, he took another long drink.

"Then why did you…"

"I was just trying to get you to loosen up, Elena. You're wound up tighter than a drum."

"You try going from crisis to crisis nonstop for the past two years and tell me how your stress levels end up. Oh, I forgot, nothing bothers _you_," she snorted, taking the bottle back for a deeper drink.

"I wish that were true," he murmured. Reaching out, he lightly massaged the muscles around her neck with one hand, gratified to hear her low groan of relief as her head lolled forward. For several minutes she let him work at the knots of tightened muscles in her neck and shoulders, her sighs of pain mingled with pleasure sending jolts of electricity through him, until her head snapped up, suspicion in her eyes.

"Hey, what is this?" she demanded, eyes narrowed in accusation.

"What?" Damon blinked.

"Is this some kind of seduction scene you have going on in your head? You get me all alone, ply me with alcohol and then a rubdown and I'm supposed to what…? Swoon at your feet?"

God, the look on her face was adorable, all flushed with righteous indignation. It drew a laugh from him, even as he withdrew his hand. "Get over yourself, Elena. This is the _last_ place I'd stage a seduction." Not that it wasn't an easy segue to think of how he _would_ stage her seduction. But that featured slow, throbbing music, candlelight, soft black sheets, and most of all he wanted her willing, not drunk. With an effort, he tore himself away from that particular fantasy, returning to the present. "All this fresh air and clear water streams… it's not my thing."

Elena seemed to relax, the bottle cradled on her lap. "Then why did you bring me out here then if you hate it so much?"

"Because everyone _knows_ it's not my thing. And it's not that I hate it, I just prefer a few more modern conveniences in my life. I had enough roughing it for the first fifty years of my life."

She considered that in silence, taking another drink as she stared into the fire.

"Let's play a game," he said suddenly, wanting to lighten the mood.

"What kind of game?"

"Strip poker?" Not that he thought she'd go for it, but he wanted to see her blush. Instead she laughed, the color coming back into her cheeks but in a good way.

"Damn, too bad we didn't buy a deck of cards," she teased.

If he'd thought she was half serious, he might have run back to civilization to get that deck of cards. "Strip Tic-tac-toe?" he grinned.

"Try again."

"Truth or dare?"

"What are we, twelve?" she replied with an eye roll.

"What? I didn't say spin the bottle," he grumbled, wracking his brain for another option that didn't involve cards or dice or a ping pong ball. "Okay, how about truth or drink?"

"Come again?"

"Yeah, truth or drink," he warmed to the idea. "Let's say I ask a question, any question I want. If you answer truthfully, I have to take a drink, if you don't want to answer then you have to take a drink."

"So… I don't have to answer anything I don't want to?" Elena clarified.

"Nope, you just have to take the shot."

"Okay."

"Really?" he blinked.

"Yes, really," Elena answered, handing over the bottle. "Now you have to take a drink, I answered your question."

"Nice." He winked at her over the top of the bottle. "Your turn then."

"Why do you really drink so much?" she asked, but he'd already vetoed that one, taking another drink.

"My turn, what's your favorite color?"

She seemed surprised by the simple question, maybe she'd been expecting something about what color panties she was wearing, but he liked to keep her off balance. "Ah, sort of a dark red, almost burgundy but with a little less purple in there."

"Wow, that is… specific." Damon took another drink, waiting for her next question.

"How old were you when you got your first kiss?"

"Ten," he grinned. "From Clara Thomas, who was two years older than me. I wonder whatever happened to her?" Damon handed over the bottle, and she dutifully drank. "Same question."

"Thirteen, I was less precocious than you were, I guess. Well, for my first real kiss I mean, I wasn't counting a quick peck on the cheek or lips."

"Neither was I." His eyes flashed playfully as he took his sip.

"What's the deal with you and that reporter woman?"

Interesting. For long seconds he considered not answering, the better to draw out her obvious curiosity and dare he say it… maybe a grain of jealousy mixed in? "She and I have an understanding. We're both single, attractive adults, and we have a no strings arrangement," he answered finally.

"And that's what you want? No strings attached?" Her brows drew together into a single dark line.

"Sorry, my turn," he grinned, waiting for her to drink. "If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be?"

"Oh, good one," she nodded approvingly, taking a few moments to think it over. "I think flying, that's always held an appeal."

"I can always arrange to take you up for a little spin, Superman style," he offered, and for a second he thought she might say yes at the wistful expression that came over her face.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." She shook her head finally.

"I'm surprised Stefan's never taken you up before. But then again, he's never been as adept at it as I am. I'm not sure if it's from his bunny diet or if he's just not as cool as me," he sighed, taking another drink. "Or has he?"

"It's my turn next." She sidestepped that question. "Was Katherine the first girl you ever fell in love with?"

"Oh… okay, but remember you were the one who brought up the K word first," he snorted, considering if he wanted to answer that one or not. But what would it hurt? "No actually, I was all set to ask for someone else's hand. I'd even had words with her father about it, to see how he felt about my courting her. There was a code of conduct back then of course, blundering in where you weren't wanted simply wasn't done. I was half on my way to marriage, kids, the whole ball of wax. Weird, right?"

"I don't think it's weird at all," Elena replied solemnly. "Do you know what happened to her?"

"It's not your turn," he chided lightly. "Are you planning on going to college next fall?" he asked, but Elena wasn't having any.

"You don't want to answer me?" she protested.

"It's not my turn to answer."

"Fine." She took another drink, in effect skipping her turn to get to what she wanted. "What happened to her?"

"I don't think you want to know the answer to that." He took the bottle back.

"No really, I do."

"You won't like it." The warning was given, but she had that look on her face, the one that meant she wasn't about to let it go. Damon could tell she expected him to tell her something tragic, but she had no idea. "Stefan killed her, along with her entire family."

That effectively killed the game.

"I told you, you wouldn't like it."

Elena kept the bottle in her lap after that, staring into the fire as night firmly took hold. Damon hated to have done that to her, but she'd been the one pushing. She'd been the one who assumed she knew all about Stefan's dark past and claimed she could handle it. Still, it wasn't what he'd intended when suggesting the drinking game. After getting up to throw another log onto the fire, he grabbed the bottle from her lap, taking a deep pull. Elena seemed not to notice. In fact, he got the impression she wouldn't have roused from whatever she was stewing over if he'd gotten up and danced a jig. _If you can't beat 'em, join 'em_… so Damon sank back beside her, lapsing into a black mood.

* * *

The combination of flames and alcohol proved hypnotic for Elena, providing her with an escape from the thoughts she didn't want to dwell on. Instead of stewing over what Damon had revealed about Stefan's past, her mind was pleasantly blank, devoid of the pressing dangers and despair that not only plagued her waking hours, but haunted her dreams as well. It was almost therapeutic. Completely unaware that Damon had taken her reticence as a bad thing, she sat in companionable silence behind him, occasionally reaching for another drink without the need for the game.

"Do you really want to know why I drink so much?" The question came out of the blue and when Damon spoke, she shook herself out of her trance-like state, noting the glum expression on his face.

"Yes, I do."

"It takes the edge off."

"The edge off of what?"

"Life, everything. Being me." He took another drink.

"Why do you have to take the edge off of being you?" she asked softly, not wanting to disturb whatever conditions had led him to this open conversation.

"Because apparently, I can be pretty tough to take." He looked to her to deny it, and her mouth went dry, not quite knowing what to say. "There you go," he acknowledged her silence by taking another drink.

He was the one who decided to make things so difficult all the time. Elena knew he was capable of more, if he was tough to take sometimes, it was his conscious choice to be that way. By the time she recovered her tongue the damage had already been done.

"Why can't you be yourself?"

"Oh come on, Elena, how many people do you think actually are themselves in front of other people?" He fixed her with a pointed look.

Elena didn't like the assumption on his part that people put on an act just because he did. "I am." At least she tried to be.

"Then you're the exception, not the rule."

"Stefan is."

Damon snorted at that shifting to slump lower. "Yeah, okay."

Something about his tone of voice really irked her. "You expect me to believe he's putting on a front?"

"No, I'm saying that if he isn't honest with himself about who he is, how can he be expected to act like himself around you?"

"What do you mean he's not honest about who he is?" Elena shifted beside him so her face was level with his, not wanting him to retreat from the conversation.

"Look, I get that you're all in ooey gooey love with him, and you think nothing but rainbows and unicorns appear every time Stefan's near, but I've known him a long, long time. I know what he was like before he was turned and afterwards. This whole… tortured goodness thing, it's masking some deep, dark secrets."

His earlier words about Stefan killing his sweetheart and her family rose up from the deep, dark corner she'd managed to banish them to while staring at the fire. "I know about his past," she said evenly.

"Knowing it and living it are two very separate things," he said grimly.

"But he's different now."

"The man you know… that's the man that Stefan aspires to be, but it's not the reality, not for the long haul. Eventually he'll crack, we all do, it's the nature of the beast. Look at me." He took another swig of alcohol. "Even I'm different when I'm around you. You have that effect on men. You make me want to be…" He swallowed around the lump that rose in his throat. "You make me want…" Damon reached out as if he might brush his fingers against the side of her face but thought better of it at the last moment and pulled away.

Held by the power of those eyes, Elena felt the air stir by her cheek, a stab of disappointment lancing through her when he pulled away. "I make you want what?" she breathed, barely above a whisper. She knew he wanted her, she'd always known on some level, but something in his face made her believe he was talking about more.

"The fairy tale, a fantasy," he replied sourly, wrenching his eyes away from hers. "It's not reality."

Elena felt him withdrawing into his shell again, and she chased after him, wanting to know for once what he really felt behind the quips and digs. "How do you know?"

"What?"

"How do you know you can't be that man?" she pressed.

"Would it make a difference?" Damon looked up at her, his eyes filled with a pain so raw, it stole the breath from her body. In that moment she saw the man behind the mask, the one who dared to want something more but never expected to get it. The one who deliberately pushed her away with his words, so she could never reject him again, only to have his actions draw him to her time and again. The man who risked everything for her, fully knowing it would never be enough because Stefan was first in her heart.

All at once she could understand how it must feel, to know that if not for Stefan he might have lived to a ripe old age surrounded by family and friends. If not for Stefan, he might have captured Katherine's heart. If not for Stefan, he might have easily swept Elena off her feet the moment he returned to Mystic Falls. If she looked at it from that angle, it was a miracle he hadn't staked Stefan in his sleep a century ago. But he hadn't.

Elena stared back at him, at a loss for words, and Damon put his own spin on her silence. "That's what I thought."

**A/N: This chapter turned out kind of heavy emotionally, but good stuff I think, bringing up some interesting realizations for Elena in particular. I promise next chapter will be more fun.**

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	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish Damon would kidnap me…**

_"The man that you know… that's the man that Stefan aspires to be, but it's not the reality, not for the long haul. Eventually he'll crack, we all do, it's the nature of the beast. Look at me," he took another swig of alcohol. "Even I'm different when I'm around you… you have that effect on men. You make me want to be…" he swallowed around the lump that rose in his throat. "You make me want…" Damon reached out as if he might brush his fingers against the side of her face but thought better of it at the last moment and pulled away._

_Held by the power of those eyes, Elena felt the air stir by her cheek, a stab of disappointment lancing through her when he pulled away. "I make you want what?" she breathed, barely above a whisper. She knew that he wanted her, she'd always known on some level, but something in his face made her believe he was talking about more._

_"The fairy tale; a fantasy," he replied sourly, wrenching his eyes away from hers. "It's not reality."_

_Elena felt him withdrawing into his shell again, and she chased after him, wanting to know for once what he was really feeling behind the quips and digs. "How do you know?"_

_"What?"_

_"How do you know you can't be that man?" she pressed._

_"Would it make a difference?" Damon looked up at her, his eyes filled with a pain so raw, it stole the breath from her body. In that moment she saw the man behind the mask, the one who dared to want something more but never expected to get it. The one who deliberately pushed her away with his words, so that she could never reject him again, only to have his actions draw him to her time and again. The man who risked everything for her, fully knowing it would never be enough because Stefan was first in her heart._

_All at once she could understand how it must feel, to know that if not for Stefan he might have lived to a ripe old age surrounded by family and friends. If not for Stefan, he might have captured Katherine's heart. If not for Stefan, he might have easily swept Elena off her feet the moment he returned to Mystic Falls. If she looked at it from that angle, it was a miracle he hadn't staked Stefan in his sleep a century ago. But he hadn't._

_Elena stared back at him, at a loss for words and Damon put his own spin on her silence._

_"That's what I thought."_

* * *

*** _The Salvatore Estate, circa 1864_ ***

"_I've never seen you act the fool for a woman before, brother. Are you certain you wish to do this?" The brothers stood in Damon's bedroom, Stefan perched on the window seat while the elder brother pulled on his suit coat. _

"_It's never foolish to give way to one's heart, Stefan." Damon patted his cheek lightly. "I intend to marry her and there's nothing else for it. Her father has already given me his blessing, and she has accepted my proposal." There was nothing Stefan could say to ruin his mood, things were going too well, for once. _

"_Brave words. A trifle naive, perhaps," Stefan considered, watching Damon fuss with the stiff collar. "Have you considered what you'll do if Father doesn't approve of your choice?"_

_Damon didn't rise to the bait, he was hardly naïve, just confident. "Father will have to get used to the idea, whether he likes it or not."_

"_And what if he should disinherit you?"_

_Damon met his gaze in the mirror, his blue eyes flashing playfully. "Then this will be an interesting dinner, won't it?" _

_But his intended did not fail to charm everyone in the dinner party, including his usually stern father. Indeed, she had the senior Salvatore eating from the palm of her delicate hand, and Damon had no concerns over losing his inheritance over pursuing the lovely woman. The old man seemed almost proud of him for once, and the rest of the family followed suit, drawn in by her beauty and charm, but most of all her kindness. _

_In fact, he almost suspected Stefan was half in love with her already. If he hadn't been absolutely certain of her love, that might've bothered him, but instead it filled him with a kind of pride. This woman would belong to him and no other until the day he died. Well matched in every way, their happiness was a certainty. _

_The evening wound to a close, and after the men had taken their brandy and joined the women in the parlor, it fell to Damon to escort his lady home. _

_Ensconced in the cool darkness of the carriage, Damon dared to reach for her hand, his heart beating faster as he felt her slender fingers curl around his. "You were magnificent tonight," he smiled warmly, eyes playing over the delicate curves of her face in the moonlight. _

"_I was not! I dropped my spoon at supper and nearly struck your brother when he offered to join me on the settee. I was certain your family would turn me out and then where would we be?" She gave a throaty laugh. _

"_It was his own fault for hovering too close to you, he deserved your elbow in his gullet and more. Take my word for it, my family adores you," he assured her with a chuckle. _

"_Not as much as my family adores you." She shook her head, dark curls dancing against her shoulders at the movement. "My mother didn't want to let you leave when last you came to call. I expect they are nearly as thrilled with this union as we are."_

"_Impossible," Damon sighed, giving her fingers a squeeze. "No one is as happy as I am for having won your hand." _

"_That's not all you've won," she whispered breathily, looking up at him through downcast lashes. The effect was at once demure and bold, and it sent a jolt of desire through him that was difficult to ignore._

"_I look forward to the day when I may savor everything that entails," he replied hoarsely, his mind painting a vivid picture of what she would look like in his bed, her entire body bathed in the pale moonlight. _

"_And are we not engaged? Have I not pledged myself to you, body and soul?" she teased, her eyes shining in the darkness._

"_Not quite yet." His thoughts raced ahead, that day couldn't come soon enough for him._

"_I have in my heart," she replied earnestly, leaning close enough that he could smell the perfume of her hair. _

_She was offering, but Damon couldn't quite bring himself to broach that innocence, he wanted everything to be right. "I have too, my love. Soon." His fingers reached up to touch her cheek, marveling at the texture of her petal soft skin. "Soon we will be together in every way, and nothing will part us ever again."_

"_I live for that day, Damon," she pledged, throwing convention aside to lay her head against his chest. _

_Damon's arms closed around her, taking her into the shelter of his embrace. "So do I, Elena. So do I." _

* * *

Damon slowly stirred to wakefulness, the dream lingering to blend with reality. Especially when the reality found Elena snuggled up against him, deeply asleep, her face tucked into the crook of his neck. For long minutes he lay there, completely still, listening to the slow, steady beat of her heart and the snuffle of her breath against his skin.

If he closed his eyes, he could almost cling to that dream reality, believe that Elena was his, and he had every right to hold her in his arms. Part of him wanted to milk that for all he could, savor that closeness until she inevitably woke up and called him a pig for hitting on her, when really she was the one who was all over him.

But the longer he lay there, stealing that intimacy from her, the more disgusted he grew with himself. What the hell was he doing? Elena wasn't his and she never would be. Their talk the night before had been proof enough of that. Stefan was still the golden boy, the one she loved. Hell, she was probably dreaming about Stefan even now, imagining herself in his arms from the faint smile on her perfect lips.

Very slowly, he untangled himself from her limbs, taking great care not to wake her. Damon watched her huddle against the sleeping bag, covering her carefully before he left the tent in search of the wilderness' version of a cold shower.

* * *

_Elena looked around the dinner table at the other guests who chatted animatedly, having a good time. It must've been a costume party, she realized belatedly, since the guests were all dressed in various costumes with some women in big hoop skirts and men in knickers. There was even a soldier with realistic looking makeup as though he was missing an arm. She didn't know any of them, but they were all good, fun people, including her in the conversation so that she found herself laughing and having a blast. _

_Catching her own reflection in the mirror, she saw she was dressed as a flapper from the twenties, the fringe of her dress rustling with every movement. Looking up, she spotted Stefan sitting at the head of the table, talking to a Navy Captain, but she couldn't hear what they were talking about. _

"_So, how do you know him?" a voice asked at her elbow, the owner a young woman dressed like a dance hall girl from the old west, her dress at odds with the Irish brogue that left her lips._

"_Oh, he's my…" boyfriend seemed an odd choice of words given the setting. Technically Stefan wasn't a boy at all, just because he perpetually looked seventeen. "We're, you know, together."_

"_Oh, like that is it? Well, have a care, dearie, he can be plenty rough you know."_

"_Ain't that the truth. He's not all soft words once he's got his teeth into you, is he, Lucy?" The woman on the other side of the table giggled, giving her a wink as soon as Elena looked over at her. She was dressed like a factory worker from the forties, Rosie the Riveter._

_Elena's mouth hung open, not quite sure what to say to that, and suddenly she noticed that Rosie had a wound at her neck, the make-up incredibly realistic. Was this a Halloween costume party? _

"_Mind you I didn't care at the time," Lucy added, her voice shrill as she threw her head back and laughed. Elena noticed the wound at her throat as well. It was… it was bleeding. "You know they call him Ripper, yeah?" _

"_I didn't… I don't…" Elena's eyes went from person to person, noticing for the first time that they all sported neck injuries ranging from twin pinpricks of blood to horribly gaping wounds. How had she missed that before? The Captain chatting amiably with Stefan at the end of the table was missing the entire side of his throat now, the sight gory enough to turn her stomach. Raising her glass to her lips, she saw that instead of water, it held thick, viscous blood, and she flung it to the ground with a strangled cry. No one seemed to notice, except for Stefan who watched her, a faint smile touching his handsome face. Stefan raised his glass to her, bringing a titter of laughter from the women at the table._

"_Won't be long before it's your turn, sweetie," the woman across the table added with a broad wink. _

"_He would never… Stefan loves me," Elena insisted, rising from the table._

"_Stefan loves me too." _

"_He loved me."_

"_Loves me to death."_

_The cacophony of voices called out to her, everyone at the table, men and women all nodding eagerly, their eyes bright. _

"_I love you, Elena," Stefan's voice was low and intimate at her ear, but instead of bringing that warm, cherished feeling, a ribbon of panic went through her at his sudden appearance by her side. _

"_I… I love you too."_

_Strong arms pinned her to his side as his face changed, the eyes darkening, fangs descending, all just a breath away from her exposed throat. _

"_Stefan what are you…?"_

"_I love you to death." With a growl of need, his mouth clamped down on her neck._

Instead of a rush of pain, Elena startled awake, her breath coming in uneven gasps as the last vestiges of the dream slipped away.

"Jesus, where did that come from?" she asked into the stillness of the crisp, morning air. It took long seconds to realize she was alone in the tent, and after a few more, she realized the feeling she didn't quite recognize was disappointment. Where had Damon disappeared to?

Tugging on her shoes, she unzipped the tent, frowning when she saw the campsite just as deserted. But the fire had been stoked, a pot of water bubbled over it and on the fallen log was laid out a metal mug with instant coffee in it and a bowl with a packet of oatmeal setting beside it. Not quite breakfast in bed, but he'd obviously thought about her before leaving, so he probably hadn't left in too big of a hurry.

Unless something happened after he'd laid them out.

She was so used to Damon being underfoot all the time, sticking to her like glue, she started to wonder if something bad really had happened to him. Only she would have heard a noise, wouldn't she? Or was she too busy having nightmares?

Skipping the oatmeal for now, Elena mixed up a cup of coffee, hands cupping around the sides as she blew on it to cool the liquid inside.

What if he didn't come back? What if he decided she wasn't worth the trouble after all and decided to walk away? Her thoughts went back to his face when he'd asked if it would make any difference to her if he tried to be a better man. If only he'd known how much the question had affected her, he might not have sunk into such a black mood for the rest of the night.

But what could she do? Elena didn't want to fill him with false hope. That would be too cruel and she was determined not to toy with him as Katherine had. Honesty was the best policy, she was sure of that. But was she being honest with herself?

Deep in thought as the coffee cooled, it occurred to her – what if Klaus had found them in the night and was doing something awful to Damon right that very minute? Setting down the coffee, Elena climbed on top of the log to see if she could get a better view of the surrounding trees. She didn't dare call out to him for fear of attracting anyone or anything else. Weren't there bears in these woods?

She knew she should probably sit tight and wait for him to come back. There were any number of reasons not to go wandering alone in the woods, especially because she might get lost and then where would she be? Elena had about convinced herself to do exactly that, even going so far as to mix up a bowl of oatmeal when she set the bowl down without tasting it, a muttered expletive leaving her lips as she stalked out of the camp. If Damon needed her help, she wasn't going to fail him out of fear.

Only he didn't need her help.

Not one bit.

No, he was doing fine on his own. Extra fine. _Super_ fine even.

No other coherent thoughts formed as Elena came upon the sight of Damon in the stream where they'd refilled their water supply. She reached the clearing as Damon breached the surface of the sparkling water. Elena froze, momentarily stunned and embarrassed to have stumbled upon him swimming, but was unable to tear her eyes from his impressive form. Rivulets of water coursed down his smoothly muscled chest, the morning sun glinting off of his pale skin. Everything about his body was lean and tight, not an extra ounce on him. Elena felt her lungs seize up, and a fluttering sensation began in her belly. Of course Damon was a sexy guy in his normal black on black ensemble, that had never been in question, but she'd been unprepared for the sight of him glistening in all his glory.

She bit her bottom lip and indulged in a moment of speculation as to how his skin would feel under her fingers. A lazy smile spread across her face as she pictured herself in the water washing him, running her hands all over his muscular body. She swayed lightly on her feet and jerked back to reality. What the hell was she doing mooning over him like a stalker from the trees? _Thank God he was waist deep in the water!_

Just as Elena decided to come forward and make her presence known, Damon approached the bank, and she stopped in mid-step. Her face flushing scarlet, she squinched her eyes shut and prayed he wouldn't notice her. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she waited with ears straining for any sound to indicate his movements. After what seemed an eternity, she still heard no sound of progress.

She was about to risk a peek when she heard a familiar voice call out to her, "Are you coming in or what?"

Cheeks flaming, she opened her eyes, hoping like hell he wasn't striding toward her. Damon stood in the water which was at a strategic level that afforded him a modicum of decency, but only just. At the water line was a hint of what lay beneath and she realized she was staring. Shaking herself out of it, she recalled with embarrassment that he'd spoken to her. Hesitantly she stepped into the clearing.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to… I didn't see anything I swear!" she babbled before she could get a hold of herself. What was wrong with her? It wasn't as if she'd never seen a naked man before, and he wasn't even completely naked, well not visibly anyway. Still, she averted her eyes from his damp torso before she was tempted to do or say something incredibly stupid.

"It's no biggie, Elena. Like I said before, I handle this sort of thing all the time. You should come on in, the water's fine."

"In there with you?" Her mouth went dry at the mere suggestion.

"Do you see another stream here?" Damon smirked. "Come on, you could use a bath. You sure didn't smell all that great in the tent," he teased.

Elena scowled at the dig, even as she realized he was doing it on purpose. "And swimming in creek water is supposed to make me smell better?"

"It couldn't make you smell worse," he shrugged.

"Ha ha." The day before had been hot and sticky and her hair did feel like it had picked up all manner of dirt and leaves from the hike. Was she really considering this? It had bad idea written all over it.

"Oh, come on, I won't even look." He turned his back resolutely.

"This is such a bad idea," Elena muttered, kneeling in the grass to untie her shoes.

**A/N: ****I know I promised "fun" in this chapter, but I got derailed by an idea that took over and what I had in mind got delayed to the next chapter. Next up… a morning swim with Damon… what could be more fun than that? **

**Feedback is Love**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I had stumbled upon Damon in a clear water stream…**

**This chapter actually went in a completely different way than I'd intended at first, but Damon sort of took things in hand and… well, you'll see.**

_She was just about to risk a peek when she heard a familiar voice call out to her, "Are you coming in or what?"_

_Cheeks flaming, she opened her eyes, hoping like hell he wasn't walking towards her. Damon stood in the water which was at a strategic level that afforded him a modicum of decency, but only just. At the water line was just a hint of what lay beneath and she realized she was staring. Shaking herself out of it, she recalled with embarrassment that he had spoken to her. Hesitantly she stepped into the clearing. _

"_I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to… I didn't see anything I swear!" She babbled before she could get a hold of herself. What was wrong with her? It wasn't as if she had never seen a naked man before, and he wasn't even completely naked, well not visibly anyway. Still, she averted her eyes from his damp torso before she was tempted to do or say something incredibly stupid. _

"_It's no biggie, Elena. Like I said before, I handle this sort of thing all the time. You should come on in, the water's fine." _

"_In there with you?" her mouth went dry at the mere suggestion._

"_Do you see another stream here?" Damon smirked. "Come on, you could use a bath. You sure didn't smell all that great in the tent," he teased. _

_Elena scowled at the dig, even as she realized he was doing it on purpose. "And swimming in creek water is supposed to make me smell better?"_

"_It couldn't make you smell worse," he shrugged. _

"_Ha ha," a roll of the eyes was given. The day before had been a hot and sticky day and her hair did feel like it had picked up all manner of dirt and leaves from the hike… Was she really considering this? It had bad idea written all over it. _

"_Oh come on, I won't even look," he turned his back resolutely._

"_This is such a bad idea…" Elena muttered, kneeling in the grass to untie her shoes._

* * *

Once she'd committed to it, Elena moved quickly, not wanting him to turn around and find her half undressed. In the end she couldn't bring herself to strip down to bare skin, it seemed like a recipe for trouble, but she did pare down to bra and panties before wading to the water's edge. The water didn't feel too cold as she waded in, but as soon as she reached waist deep it got considerably cooler, and she impulsively dove under the water to get acclimated to it that much quicker, surfacing with a yelp at the temperature shock.

"Okay, so maybe it's a little cold." Damon's voice came from behind her and she turned to see his smirk of amusement at her discomfiture.

"You think?" Elena chattered, sinking lower into the water to keep him from seeing quite so much of her.

"Swim around, you'll get used to it."

"Says the guy who doesn't feel temperature changes," she muttered. Taking his advice, she swam away from him with long strokes, but he kept up with her easily. The stream was easily thirty feet across and slow moving enough that they didn't have to work too hard to fight the current. After a bit of movement Elena did start to feel less chilled and more refreshed. "How come you left camp so early this morning?" Elena only barely managed to keep from saying the first thing that leapt to her tongue – how come you left _me_ so early this morning?

"Come on, you gotta check this out." Damon's eyes flashed playfully, ignoring her question, swimming away with powerful strokes to where the stream curved behind a copse of trees.

"Okay…" Elena frowned, gliding through the water to keep from losing sight of him as the stream disappeared from view. As she reached the trees, she saw that the water didn't come to an end, it curved away to a small lake, with a high waterfall, the source of the stream.

"Not bad, huh?" His voice came near her ear, and Elena couldn't help but wonder how it was he continually snuck up behind her without her even noticing. It wasn't unpleasant though, in fact, she had to suppress the urge to lean back into his chest as she looked up at the rushing water.

"It's beautiful," she agreed, the sight and the water chasing away the last vestiges of her restless dreams.

"Yeah, it is."

Elena turned, the breath catching in her throat as she found Damon's eyes fixed, not on the sight of the spilling water, but on her face, as though committing the sight to memory. For a long moment she thought he might say more, but the silence stretched between them, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth in place of his usual smirk. Instead of finding it uncomfortable, Elena found herself smiling back, some of the tension going out of her.

This Damon wasn't ogling her goodies or cracking obnoxious jokes at anyone and everyone's expense. For once he wasn't pushing, and she in turn, didn't push him away either. "Come on, I'll race you to the falls," she grinned, knowing all along she didn't stand a chance in the world of beating him.

"Loser buys lunch," he winked back, diving under the water to swim away from her, but at a leisurely pace. Elena took the challenge, pushing past him, her legs propelling her through the water with a splash. As soon as she passed him, she could feel him put on a stronger burst of speed, but Damon refrained from using his vampire strength, relying on his well muscled frame to give him the edge needed to get past her. The spirit of competition kicked in though and she worked harder, her smaller body cutting through the water as she kept pace by his side.

Until he cheated.

Strong arms closed around her waist, plucking her out of her rhythm as Damon lightly tossed her behind him to land with a splash in the water. "No fair!" she spluttered, chasing after him. Damon's laughter floated back to her as he turned to tread water just long enough to catch her eye before striking off again towards the falls. "Get back here you dirty cheater!" Elena's fingers closed around his foot and she tugged with all of her strength, a surge of triumph rushing through her as she felt him falter and fall behind. Darting past him as quick as she could, Elena's lungs burned with the effort and suspense of getting past him without him doing something sneaky and underhanded in return.

"Oh, no you don't…" Damon caught her up in his arms, swinging her around so she faced the wrong direction, but instead of letting him fling her aside this time, she threw her arms around his shoulders, clinging tight to his back as he turned away. Giggles burst out of her as he tried to shake her free but his hands kept slipping against her skin, tickling her in the bargain.

"Don't you dare tickle me or I'll, I'll…"

"You'll what? I'm not ticklish, Elena, let's face it, you've got no weapons to use against me."

_Oh she had a weapon…_ and feeling playful, Elena leaned closer to his ear, knowing he could feel her body pressed against his back. "And here I thought I knew your weakness." Her voice fell, low and throaty by his ear. His low groan let her know she'd scored a point and a thrill went through her that had nothing to do with victory.

Still smiling, she let go of him, pushing away under the water again as she swam for the falls. The next time she came up for breath however, he was already up ahead, waving to her from the rocks next to the cascading water. "Lousy cheater," she grumbled, swimming at a more sedate pace to join him. Since he'd decided to use his vampire speed, let him wait, she thought to herself.

"Glad you could make it… finally," he teased as she swam up to his side. The water was deeper there, and churned up by the falling water, so that it frothed all around them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you in a hurry? Am I keeping you from important vampire business?" she retorted, setting a lazy pace. Reaching past him, she touched the rocks. "I win."

"_You_ win. How do you figure that? I beat you by a mile."

"I touched the rocks first, you gave up before you reached them." She gave a delicate half shrug.

"We never said the rocks were the goal, I was racing to the falls, which I got to first, making me the winner," Damon declared indignantly.

"You got near the falls, there's a difference." Elena reached over and ran her hands under the edge of the falling water. "But if it makes you happy, there, I'm the first one to touch the water coming out of the falls. I still win."

"You did not."

"Did too." Elena knew she sounded like a five-year-old, but for the moment she didn't care. It was worth it to see that disgruntled look on his face as he considered she might actually be right. "I am the winner, which means you are the loser, and therefore…"

"Therefore…?" he waited.

"Therefore, you're buying lunch," she finished.

"I bought all the food."

"No, you didn't, you paid for it with a stolen credit card, that doesn't count."

"Is there a particular reason you're being such a pain in the ass today?" he grumbled.

"Maybe it's my turn?" Elena grinned, pushing away from the rocks to swim toward the water.

Damon was quick to follow, sticking his head under the falling water, spraying her in the process. "Well, let me know when it's my turn again, I'll be more than happy to take over my designated role," he grinned back, losing the grumpy tone from his voice.

"I think I'll hang onto it for a while. It's nice to see you like this for a change."

"What, naked?" He raised his brows at her, and she felt a rush of heat despite the cool water.

"In a matter of speaking," she returned, refusing to let him see how the idea of him nude under the water affected her. "But I meant like this, just spending some time together without you being you know… obnoxious."

"You mean without me being myself?" he snorted.

Her eyes narrowed, not wanting him to retreat into his shell again. "Are you honestly telling me that you're not being yourself here with me now?" Damon returned her gaze thoughtfully, and Elena wished like hell she could tell what he was thinking in that moment.

Moving closer to her, Damon backed her up against the falls so that the water ran down the back of her neck and shoulders and she reached out instinctively to hold onto his arms to keep her afloat. "Careful, Elena, you're coming dangerously close to sounding like you actually enjoy spending time with me."

"I do, when you're like this. When you don't make it so hard to be around you." She thought he might protest such a statement, but when he spoke, his voice was light.

"Come on, I want you to see something." Damon caught her off guard with his light push, sending her under the tumbling water until she emerged on the other side, sputtering as she pushed the water from her eyes.

"You could have warned me before you did that," she scowled.

"Don't be such a baby, it's only water." He turned her by her shoulders. "Take a look at that."

The moment between them forgotten, Elena gazed in wonder at the hidden grotto behind the waterfall. The water painted reflections on the cave walls, bathing them in soft, blue light. A crack in the rocks above cast a shaft of bright sunlight light down onto a smooth slab of rock on the opposite side, well above the water line. The sun warmed the space behind the falls, driving away some of the chill of the water. "It's magical," she breathed, swimming for the sunny rock.

"I thought you might like it," he smiled, following closely behind. "You want to get up there?"

Elena reached out to touch the stone, worn smooth from the water. "I'll fall," she shook her head, but no sooner had the words left her lips than she felt herself lifted up and out of the water, deposited safely into the center of the warm rock with Damon by her side. With a start, she averted her eyes, only remembering at the last second that he wasn't wearing anything.

"Elena…" His voice was thick with amusement, as she studied the ceiling with sudden interest. "Elena, look at me."

"No, I'm good, thanks," she replied, eyes following the edges of the crack in the rocks, the walls, anything to keep from being tempted to look at him.

"So, it's okay for you to be in your underwear, but not for me?"

"What?" Elena couldn't help but take a look, surprised to find him sitting in his boxer briefs, pulled low, but still safely covering everything. The wet fabric clung to him though, giving her a close look at what lay beneath the thin material. "I thought you didn't mind the cold," she remarked, looking away uncomfortably.

"I don't. But curious fish are another story," he winced. Somehow that struck her as funny and she started to laugh, relieved when he laughed beside her and everything was alright between them again.

"When did you find this place?" she asked, stretching out on the rock to warm up. Her eyes slid shut as she basked in the sun.

"This morning when I first came to check out the waterfall. I'd planned to bring you here later but you beat me to it. Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

Elena opened her eyes to find his gaze on her. Feeling exposed in her bra and panties, she started to think better of laying out on the rock. Sure, it covered the same amount of skin as her bikini, but it somehow felt more… vulnerable. It didn't help that he was stretched out in his underwear too, making the grotto feel much more intimate than it had even with him close in the water. A little voice inside reminded her that Stefan probably wouldn't approve of her sunbathing nearly naked with his brother.

"Maybe we should come back later then, we could have a picnic lunch here or something. There are some waterproof bags in the supplies we brought." Without waiting for a reply, she slipped back into the water with a gasp as the cool water hit her sun warmed skin.

"Coward," Damon muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"You're running away and I didn't even do anything," he complained sourly.

"I'm not running away," she insisted, even as she drifted farther away from him in the water. "I just think we should get back. Did you eat breakfast already? 'Cause I'm kind of hungry."

In the space of a heartbeat, Damon was in the water beside her, trapping her against the side of the cave with his body. "I ate, but it didn't satisfy me. Do you ever have a craving you can't satisfy, Elena?" His eyes flashed.

"You're making it harder to be around you again," she frowned, trying to slip past him, but he had her effectively pinned. Hadn't they moved past this?

"Why should I make it easy to be around me when you make it so hard to be around you?" he threw back at her, inching closer.

"Me?" she blinked in astonishment. "When do I ever make it hard to be around me?"

"Every second of every day, whenever you're near, and sometimes, when you're not." His eyes caressed her face, naked emotion leaving no doubt as to what he meant. Elena swallowed at what she found there, knowing she should move away, but his gaze held her transfixed. Obnoxious Damon was easy to repulse but this one…

"Do you know what that's like? Having something beautiful and shining, just out of reach?" He picked up a lock of her hair that floated towards his chest, winding it around his fingers, tugging her closer still. "To have everything you ever wanted, everything you thought you'd never find again, gleaming there, ripe for the taking?" Damon's eyes darkened, a different kind of hunger surfacing as it fought for dominance within him. "Because that's the man I am, right? I take what I want." His mouth dipped lower, a hairsbreadth away from her lips.

The breath froze in her body as his thumbs brushed along her hips, reminding her how close they were. A shiver of delight went through her at that simple touch, lips parting, and for a fraction of a second, she wasn't sure if it was to protest or to accept the kiss she felt coming. But instead his lips continued their path alongside her jaw to brush against the whorl of her ear.

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like?" His voice was low but it penetrated right to her very core. "If I took what I wanted from you?"

All manner of erotic images spilled into her mind from those simple words. In her most fevered dreams she couldn't help wonder what it would be like between them, but she would never really act on it. She was with Stefan. Stefan. She used his name like a shield in her mind but it wasn't enough.

"Damon, I…" Her mouth went dry and she had to swallow before she could continue, but he seized upon her moment of silence.

"No guilt, no surrender, if I just took what your body had to offer, because it's my nature," he continued, hands skimming lightly up her sides. Her entire body hummed under that light touch, and pinpricks of light began to swim before her eyes, reminding her she'd forgotten to breathe. "I can feel the heat coming off of you even through the water. You're ready for me now, aren't you? Just a scrap of lace between us, it would be so easy."

Sucking in a shaky breath, her eyes slid closed, trying to shut out the images he painted of them, but that only made it worse. If he could make her feel like that with the barest of touches, what would it be like if she gave him free reign of her body?

This was dangerous. Not because she feared him, or that he might do as he said, take her, consequences be damned, but because she was perilously close to giving in to those wants, her traitorous body responding even while her mind knew it was a terrible idea. "I wouldn't…" she tried.

"Oh, but you would," he purred, leaving her ear behind to return to her lips and Elena only barely found the strength to pull away.

"And then we what? Return to Mystic Falls and I go back to Stefan and you go back to… being you, and we forget it ever happened?"

"Who says we have to end it when we get back?" A wolfish grin appeared on his lips.

"Is it just my body you want then?" Elena challenged, meeting his gaze. "It didn't seem like it worked out all that great when you tried it before with Katherine." It was the only defense she had left, the knowledge that this physical attraction between them (because she could admit now that she was powerfully attracted to him) wasn't enough to make her throw away what she had with Stefan. And he knew that.

"_Touché_." Damon let go all at once, leaving her to tread water. "But you can't blame a guy for trying," he winked, retreating behind his mask.

Elena blinked at the rapid shift from him, realizing his withdrawal meant something more because he _wasn't_ only interested in her body. Christ, what was she supposed to do with that?

**A/N: Okay, I needed a minute to fan myself before I came back to do the comment. Damon wasn't playing fair in this chapter, but he'll get his in the next one when the shoe is on the other foot. **

**Feedback is Love**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I had stumbled upon Damon in a clear water stream…**

**The clock is ticking down for our couple on their little trip, but that doesn't mean the story is coming to a close, far from it! Plenty more plot bunnies where these ones came from. And things are definitely heating up…**

"_No guilt, no surrender, if I just took what your body had to offer, because it's my nature," he continued, hands skimming lightly up her sides. Her entire body hummed under that light touch, and little pinpricks of light began to swim before her eyes, reminding her that she'd forgotten to breathe. "I can feel the heat coming off of you even through the water. You're ready for me now, aren't you? Just a scrap of lace between us, it would be so easy." Sucking in a shaky breath, her eyes slid closed, trying to shut out the images he painted of them, but that only made it worse. If he could make her feel like that with just the barest of touches, what would it be like if she really gave him free reign of her body? _

_This was dangerous. Not because she feared him, or that he might do as he said, take her, consequences be damned, but because she was perilously close to giving in to those wants, her traitorous body responding even while her mind knew it was a terrible idea. "I wouldn't…" she tried. _

"_Oh, but you would…" he purred, leaving her ear behind to return to her lips and Elena only barely found the strength to pull away._

"_And then we what? Go back to Mystic Falls and I go back to Stefan and you go back to… being you, and we forget it ever happened?" _

"_Who says we have to end it when we get back?" A wolfish grin appeared on his lips. _

"_Is it just my body you want then?" Elena challenged, meeting his gaze. "It didn't seem like it worked out all that great when you tried it before with Katherine." It was the only defense she had left, the knowledge that this physical attraction between them, because she could admit to herself now that she was powerfully attracted to him, wasn't enough to make her throw away what she had with Stefan. And he knew that. _

"_Touche." Damon let go all at once, leaving her to tread water. "But you can't blame a guy for trying," he winked, retreating behind his mask. _

_Elena blinked at the rapid shift from him, realizing that his withdrawal meant something more because he wasn't just interested in her body. Christ, what was she supposed to do with that?_

* * *

_Talk about playing with fire._ He'd been playing with her in the water, pushing her past her comfort zone to try and get her to admit she felt something, _anything_ for him. It was a small victory to find that her body at least was honest in its reaction to him. He'd been able to smell the arousal coming off of Elena in waves, even through the water. But it hadn't been enough to crack the mighty facade of the ice queen.

No, Elena saved her fevered thoughts for Stefan, and it killed him to think of his brother getting to enjoy her female charms night after night. To stroke those delectable curves and hollows, taste the salty sweet perfection of her skin, to feel her shuddering beneath him as she cried out his name in ecstasy. Damon dove under the water to stave off the groan of desire that slipped out.

By the time he came up again he had his game face on. Damon the friend. Damon the protector. Damon who was expected to live like a eunuch around the woman he loved. If being Elena's friend was the only option available to him for the moment, he'd take it. Part of him was disgusted with himself for not using all the advantages at his disposal. All traces of vervain were out of her system, it would've taken the slightest push of compulsion to have her screaming out _his_ name, and thinking it was her idea in the bargain.

But it would've been a hollow victory, and in the end, that wasn't what he wanted from her. He wanted the whole enchilada, he wanted _all_ of her, heart and soul. Damon hadn't given up on more, far from it, but he would bide his time. He'd spent years honing his patience.

* * *

The whole time they swam back to the campsite, Elena expected Damon to pull something else, press against her or push her like he had in the grotto behind the waterfall, but instead his mood was light, almost playful as he swam ahead of her. Maybe it had all been an act? Maybe he hadn't been as affected by it as she had?

He was certainly acting like it hadn't even happened now, and he wasn't above playing games, she knew that. But thinking back to the look in his eyes – that pure need for more than her body – no, she was more inclined to think he'd erected that shell around his heart for the moment. Whatever the cause, Elena was grateful for it, it allowed her to compose herself by the time they returned to the shore.

Surprising her again, Damon was the perfect gentleman, fetching a towel for her and resolutely turning his back while she dried off and pulled on her clothes. Of course that gave her plenty of time to watch the droplets of water travel down the muscled planes of his back before she realized she was staring and averted her eyes.

Clearing her throat when she was done, she ran her fingers through her tangle of wet hair. "So, what's on the agenda for today? More wilderness or are we bound for secret base number four?"

"I think this place is working pretty well for us." Damon turned around, completely un-self-conscious at his state of undress. "Unless you have a better idea?"

"No, this works, I like it out here." She brushed past him in the direction of the campsite. "I mean, I'm not saying I want to live out of a tent for the rest of my life, but it's nice to get away. Escape from everyone and everything."

"Anytime you feel the need to escape, you let me know." Damon met her eyes, and she wondered if he was offering more than a weekend camping trip here and there.

"I will," she nodded, falling silent for the rest of the walk back.

Breakfast was a quick affair, as Damon insisted on leaving all of the supplies for her to eat. "What about you? Aren't you hungry?" Maybe it was a dangerous question, but she felt safer in asking it with her clothes on.

"I ate before we came." He shrugged away the question. "If I get hungry later, I'll visit the bunny buffet."

"But… don't you need to keep your strength up?" The second the words were out of her mouth, she realized what she was saying. She was the only human being around for miles.

"Are you offering?"

The question hung heavy in the air between them, and Elena squirmed under the power of those intense, blue eyes. On the one hand, she was terrified of giving that kind of concession to Damon; give him an inch and he might take the whole thing. But on the other hand, he was only out there to keep her safe. What kind of a person did that make her to offer to share her blood with Stefan and not Damon? "How much would you need?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Forget it." Damon shook his head, much to her surprise.

"But…"

"I'm fine. But you could probably use something fresher than a protein bar for lunch. I'll go see what I can rustle us up to eat."

"You're going hunting?"

"Loser buys lunch, remember?" he winked, pushing himself up to his feet with fluid grace. "Just stay put and don't wander off, I'd hate to have to wrestle a bear for you. And if anything comes, anything at all, yell and I'll be here faster than you can skin a snake."

Elena was surprised at the ribbon of panic that went through her at the thought of him leaving her all alone, but she quickly caught hold of herself. "I'll be fine," she nodded, with more confidence than she felt. No one knew they were out there. It was the middle of the day and any wild animals would stay clear of the fire. There was nothing to be afraid of.

"Be careful," she called after Damon, wondering if she should offer to go with him, but she would only slow him down. In the end, she hunkered down to look through the rest of the supplies to see what would go good with whatever fresh kill he came back with.

* * *

It felt like Damon was gone for a very long time. Not having a whole lot to do with him gone, she busied herself arranging the camp more neatly. Despite his warning to stay put, she ventured down to the stream again to get some fresh water to heat up and wash out some of their clothes. But there was only so much straightening to do with their meager possessions. Elena briefly considered yelling for him to see if he would come, but she didn't want to be the girl that called vampire. If she called out for Damon, he'd probably rush back, thinking something horrible had happened to her, and she couldn't do that to him.

Fixing herself a light snack of cheese and crackers, she sat on the fallen log, eyes on the campfire that had burned low to glowing coals. Busy eating, she didn't notice anything amiss right away. It was the sudden silence that tipped her off at first. Frozen, down to the bite of half chewed cheese in her mouth, Elena strained to catch a sound, any sound but the crackle of the fire and the air whistling through her nose as she remembered to breathe. Swallowing, her lips parted to disguise the sound of her own breath, but not a sound came through. She'd all but decided she was imagining things when she heard the odd, snuffling grunt.

Heart pounding at the unusual sound, her eyes darted around, unsure what kind of animal made such a noise. The culprit emerged from the underbrush, startling her as it darted forward only to stop, a respectful distance from the fire. A feral pig stared her down across the clearing, its dark eyes baleful, as though angry to find her squatting in its territory. Never having seen such a thing up close and personal, Elena was struck by the size of the thing. It stood waist high on her at least, its shoulders thick and powerful with wicked tusks, stained a ruddy brown. Did feral pigs really get that big? Or would this monster be classified as a boar?

"Nice little piggy," she said in a deliberately calm tone, never taking her eyes off of the huge beast. It was just a big, dumb animal, right? Nothing to be afraid of. She still had the advantage of height, and probably speed with her longer legs, that had to be intimidating to the thing. "You'd better go home before Damon gets back and decides to carve ham steaks out of you."

The boar let out an ear-splitting squeal that made her stumble backwards, heels coming into contact with the fallen log, almost making her lose her balance. So much for the gentle approach. Trying a different tack, she made her voice deep and authoritative. "Hey!" She clapped her hands together loudly, raising her hands over her head to try and make herself look bigger. "Go home!" she commanded, waving her arms as she took a step forward, stomping her feet against the packed earth.

The boar snuffled, its head tossing in a manner that made the sunlight glint off of its razor-sharp tusks. Instead of backing up, it squealed again, prancing forwards a few steps. "Damon!" Elena yelled, stumbling over the back of the log to try and put a barrier between them.

The great boar's head tossed again before it lowered, preparing to charge. A scream tore from her lips as the animal launched itself forward, not fooled by the fallen tree for a second as it easily skirted it to pursue her. Elena scrambled to the top of the log seconds before his tusks gouged a slice of bark from the log where she'd stood, the force of the impact knocking her to the ground on the other side. Eyes wide, she scooted backwards, boots slipping on pine needles as she tried to get her feet under her, but the boar had already rounded the log, intent on its prize. Elena threw her arms up over her face to protect herself from the blow that never came.

Instead, another squeal sounded and she opened her eyes in time to see the boar crash into the fire pit as something tackled it from the side. Scrambling to the edge of the clearing, Elena was stunned to see Damon struggling with the massive animal, its eyes wide with panic as the hot coals seared its skin. It wriggled in agony, eluding his strong hands as it thrashed more to get away than attack any longer. A howl of pain tore free from Damon's throat as the boar's tusk sank deep into his thigh. And then it was over, a sickening gurgle and the boar went limp in his arms, its lifeblood covering his hands as he threw down its still beating heart.

In a blink he lay panting on the ground, shoving the heavy carcass of the animal out of the way. Elena rushed to his side, stomach roiling at the sight of all the blood. "Are you… are you okay?"

Damon turned to stare at her in surprise, almost as if he'd forgotten she was there entirely in the heat of the battle. Chest heaving, covered in blood, his jeans split with gore, he gave a short bark of laughter. "Yeah, I'm super." With a groan he pushed his way up to a seated position. "What about you? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, no I'm fine, it never touched me." Approaching him slowly, Elena tried to figure out how much of that was his blood and how much was the animal's. The growing stain on his thigh seemed to be all his and she frowned over how rapidly it spread. "Take off your pants, we need to take a look at that wound and see if we can stop the bleeding."

"It'll be fine." He waved away her concern.

He had to be hurt if he passed up an excuse to take his clothes off in front of her. "No, it won't, not if we don't do something right now, so take your pants off!"

Brows drawing together in annoyance, his jaw set into a mutinous line for a long moment before he capitulated and eased the sodden jeans down to his knees, and Elena helped him pull them off the rest of the way. Peeling off his bloody shirt as well, he used it to mop the boar's blood from his hands and arms, swiping away the worst of the mess, but his thigh continued to bleed profusely.

"Jesus…" Elena breathed when the wound became more visible. The boar had split him right across the outside of his thigh in a gash that spanned the width of her hand. Any other man would need stitches at the very least, possibly surgery, and she wasn't sure his vampire healing could handle that kind of wound. Taking off her outer flannel shirt, she wound it around his thigh, wincing herself when she pulled it tight and saw the pain it caused him. "I think we should try and get you some help."

"I'll be fine. Vampire, remember?"

"Yes but, Damon…"

"I could use a bite though. You might want to look away if you're squeamish." Damon scooted closer to the fallen animal, and Elena did look away, not wanting to watch him feed. "No good," he said a few seconds later, and she turned to see him wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "It's already been dead too long, I can't eat that."

"Why didn't you try earlier?" She didn't mean to come off as if she was criticizing him, but his color didn't look good, even for someone as pale as a vampire.

"I was distracted by the hole in my leg." He winced again, dragging himself to the fallen log.

Her teeth worried at her bottom lip, feeling horribly inadequate to care for him in such a state. "Is there anything I can get you? Some water or…"

"I'd love an O positive on the rocks. Do you think you could rustle me up one?" His lopsided grin had her frowning in response, and Elena knew what she had to do. Sitting down on the log next to him, she held her wrist out.

"Okay, do it. Just do it fast, and… and don't take too much." Her face turned away, she couldn't watch him do it. Bracing herself for the sting of pain she knew was coming, the brush of his lips across the inside of her wrist surprised her.

"I'm not going to eat you, Elena. You can put your arm down, I'll be fine."

Her eyes popped open in disbelief. He was refusing her? "I don't get it. You've been more than vocal about wanting a taste this whole time. Now that you actually need it, now that I'm offering, you don't want it?" Elena searched his face for some hint of why he'd do that. If anything, she would have thought he'd be all for it. It'd strengthen the bond between them, which was what he wanted, wasn't it? The struggle she saw on his face caught her breath.

"Elena, I don't ever want to touch you when I _need _to feed. The chance that I could lose control and hurt you, really hurt you… I'm not willing to take that risk," he said earnestly, dropping the bravado.

"Then you _do_ need to feed." She slumped down on the ground beside him.

"It's not that bad, I've had worse." A half smile tilted his lips. "I can stick it out until morning and then we can get back to civilization and I can take care of it. Let's just hope nothing comes out of the woodwork tonight or you'll be the one protecting me."

"What if I give you just a little bit? I could put some of my blood in a cup and…"

"If I smell your blood like this, I can't guarantee I can control myself." He shook his head, "Trust me, it's better this way. I'll live."

Only the more time went by, the worse he looked. The wound on his thigh started to bleed again, and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his brow. Elena fussed around the camp, building up the fire and cooking the evening meal but Damon wasn't very good company. When he did talk, he was snappish and short with her, but then he'd apologize and she'd worry about him even more. As full dark descended around them, Elena decided they had to risk something.

Sitting beside him where he hadn't moved from for the best part of the day, she touched his shoulder, surprised to find his skin especially cold to the touch. "Damon, I think you should take some of my blood."

"Nope, not gonna do it." He shook his head stubbornly.

"I don't think we have a lot of choice here. We can't afford for you to be this incapacitated." She tried to appeal to his need to protect her. "What if something happens? I'll be completely defenseless."

"You've never been completely defenseless, Elena," he said with a half smile. "You've been defeating me this entire time."

"Then recognize that I'm right about this and I'm going to win." She took off her hoodie, shivering as the cool night air brushed over her skin.

"I won't do it."

"Damon!" She commanded his full attention. "I need you. Okay? I need you to do this for me because I need you here with me. Just… try not to make it hurt too much." Elena lifted a knife to her wrist, intending to slash across it but his hand covered hers.

"Don't… not like that." Damon sighed in resignation. "If I'm going to do this, we have to do it my way."

"Alright," Elena nodded, hardly believing she was agreeing to do this. If someone had told her she'd be begging Damon to drink her blood even a few days ago, she would have branded them insane. But here she was, agreeing to his conditions. "How are we going to do it?" She sucked in a nervous breath.

Damon appeared to give it a lot of serious thought, taking the knife from her hand and setting it aside. "I don't want to hurt you, and I can make it feel good for you, if you want me to."

"Good… how? Like _good_, good?" Was he talking about a sexual experience?

"Like you won't mind me doing it at all. In fact, you might not want me to stop."

That sounded risky if he doubted his ability to stop from taking too much. Shouldn't one of them keep a clear head at least? At the same time, she wasn't big on pain either. "I trust you," she said finally, surprised to find it was true. He wouldn't hurt her, she was counting on it. Something passed over his face when she said the words and he nodded.

"Turn around."

"Around?" Her eyes widened in surprise, shifting so that her back faced him. "Why like this?"

"Because I'm trying not to make this too intimate," he replied, re-positioning himself and laying a single hand against her shoulder. "Lean back against me, like that." Elena did as he bade her, feeling her hair lifted up and away from one shoulder. "Now just relax." His voice was low and intimate by her ear and the blood started to rush through her veins faster, her heart pounding in anticipation. "This won't hurt at all, I promise." His lips brushed over her skin where the neck met the shoulder, and a frisson of pleasure went through her. Damon placed an open-mouthed kiss there, and Elena opened her mouth to object, but remained silent, thinking that might be part of it.

Stefan had kissed her neck a hundred times before, but he'd never taken it any farther, never given in to the desire to taste her blood, though she had to admit, there had definitely been a time or two when she wouldn't have minded. Damon now paid that small strip of skin the most exquisite attention, his talented lips and tongue drawing against her flesh with a lover's kiss.

Elena's head lolled to one side, giving him better access as she gave herself over to it, allowing herself to feel, just once without thought of consequences. The first time she felt the scrape of his teeth against her throat, she tensed, but as he dragged them across her skin, tantalizingly slow, she found herself leaning into him, unconsciously holding her breath as she waited to see what he would do next.

"Tell me to stop." His breath fanned against her moist skin, giving her the final chance to end it, but she was already too caught up in the moment to turn him away.

"Do it." Her voice was husky with a need she didn't understand. "Don't stop."

His fangs sank into her throat, and there was a rush of pleasure as she felt his mouth draw against her flesh. Her hands opened and closed reflexively, finding his knee to hold onto as she drew in a ragged breath. Nothing had prepared her for what this felt like, not Stefan's little suck on the finger when he'd taken the small drops of blood. This was raw and primal, and she felt the connection on a deeper level even as her body kicked into overdrive at the myriad of sensations he sent through her from that one spot.

Damon was obviously not immune to it either, he pulled her closer, his hand splaying over her belly as he drank. Elena squirmed closer, one hand reaching up to stroke the back of his neck, binding him to her. That was all the encouragement he needed, and Damon pulled her into his lap where she could feel his hardness pressed up against her. This was less intimate? Elena could well imagine what it would be like to have done this facing each other, the bed just a short distance away.

Already she wanted more, her entire body burned for his touch, wanting to feel him everywhere. What would it feel like to have him inside her, pulsing with her?

With a ragged moan, he pulled his mouth from her throat, and she let out a small cry of distress. "Don't stop," she urged him, her head tilting back to chase after his mouth. Elena wasn't sure what had come over her, but the next thing she knew, she was kissing him, long and deep, tasting the faint, salty tang of her own blood on his lips. On and on it went, and she arched against him, reveling in his skillful touch until he broke the kiss, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"Elena…" There was raw need in that one word, but he kept his lips from hers.

"I thought this was what you wanted," she blinked. Was it what she wanted? She hardly knew…

"God, yes." His lips pressed against her brow. "This and more, but we can't. You know you don't want this, you don't want me."

She was pretty sure she did in that moment, but she was starting to catch her breath, cool down a little. "Damon, I think, I…"

"No." His voice was harsher this time. "You're _not_ thinking, that's the point. In the morning you'll thank me for stopping you." Elena blinked at him, trying to reconcile his words against the aching throb inside of her to straddle him and beg him to take her right then and there. Damon pricked his finger against the discarded knife, mingling his blood with hers to heal the wound at her neck. "Go to bed and get some rest."

"But…"

"Just please do us both a favor and do it. You need your rest after the blood I took, and I… I don't have the strength to be around you right now, okay?"

"Alright," she nodded, disentangling herself from his lap to stand, wavering only slightly when she got to her feet.

"Don't forget this." He handed up her hoodie and she took it numbly before heading for the tent they shared.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" she asked, pausing at the door to the tent.

"Just go," he growled, drawing a frown from her.

"Fine, good night." She unzipped the thing with short, angry movements, climbing inside and kicking off her shoes before climbing into the sleeping bag, only to throw it back seconds afterwards, her body still overheated from the exchange. For long minutes Elena strained to hear sounds of Damon in the campsite, but nothing reached her ears but the crackling of the campfire.

"Goodnight, Damon," she called out softly. Elena started to think he hadn't heard her when his reply came back, his voice sounding strained to her ears.

"Goodnight, Elena."

**A/N: Poor Damon, his night isn't over yet. Okay be honest guys, is anyone into this fic? 8 chapters in and I have zero reviews. Should I be spending my weekend updating something else? **

**Feedback is Love**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was sharing a tent with Damon…**

_With a ragged moan, he pulled his mouth from her throat and she let out a small cry of distress. "Don't stop," she urged him, her head tilting back to chase after his mouth. Elena wasn't sure what had come over her, but the next thing she knew, she was kissing him, long and deep, tasting the faint, salty tang of her own blood on his lips. On and on it went, and she arched against him, reveling in his skilful touch until he broke the kiss, his voice a hoarse whisper._

"_Elena…" There was raw need in that one word, but he kept his lips from hers. _

"_I thought this was what you wanted," she blinked. Was it what she wanted? She hardly knew…_

"_God yes," his lips pressed against her brow. "This and more, but we can't. You know you don't want this, you don't want me."_

_She was pretty sure she did in that moment, but she was starting to catch her breath, cool down a little. "Damon… I think, I…"_

"_No," his voice was harsher this time. "You're not thinking, that's the point. In the morning you'll thank me for stopping you." Elena blinked at him, trying to reconcile his words against the aching throb inside of her to straddle him and beg him to take her right then and there. Damon pricked his finger against the discarded knife, mingling his blood with hers to heal the wound at her neck. "Go to bed and get some rest."_

"_But…"_

"_Just please do us both a favor and do it. You need your rest after the blood I took, and I… I don't have the strength to be around you right now, okay?"_

"_Alright," she nodded, disentangling herself from his lap to stand, wavering only slightly when she got to her feet._

"_Don't forget this," he handed up her hoodie and she took it numbly before heading for the tent they shared. _

"_Aren't you coming to bed?" she asked, pausing at the door to the tent. _

"_Just go," he growled, drawing a frown from her. _

"_Fine, good night." She unzipped the thing with short, angry movements, climbing inside and kicking off her shoes before climbing into the sleeping bag, only to throw it back seconds afterwards, her body still overheated from the exchange. For long minutes Elena strained to hear sounds of Damon in the campsite, but nothing reached her ears but the crackling of the campfire. "Goodnight, Damon." She called out softly. Elena had just started to think he hadn't heard her when his reply came back, his voice sounding strained to her ears._

"_Goodnight Elena." _

* * *

_It was raining. _

_The woods streaked by and Elena barely saw them as she ran for all she was worth. Whatever chased them was big, she knew that without looking, and they had to keep going. The stitch in her side grew increasingly painful and her elbow clipped a tree as she lost the rhythm of her run. "I can't… need to rest."_

_And then he picked her up, holding her close as he sped through the forest. Elena leaned into his chest, lungs burning as she struggled to fill them with air in the downpour. "Where can we go? We can't keep running," she panted._

"_I see a place up ahead, a place where we'll be safe." His voice rumbled from his chest, reverberating through her bones, and her eyes slid shut, trusting him to keep her safe. The next thing she knew he set her carefully on the doorstep of a huge house in the middle of the woods. "Try the door," he urged, his eyes returning to the tree line. The knob turned easily in Elena's hand and she stepped inside without hesitation. Inside was richly appointed, the furniture old fashioned but in good condition, the walls covered with dark paneling. _

_Turning around, Elena frowned at seeing him still outside. "Come on, it's not safe out there." He turned to enter but stopped at the threshold as the invisible barrier kept him outside. _

"_You should shut the door, I'll try and hold it off."_

"_Wait!" Elena rushed for the door. "You can't stay out there."_

"_But I can't come in there. Maybe I can try and lead it off in a different direction and loop back for you. Stay put, I'll be back."_

"_No…" A sense of unreasoning panic filled her as the thought that she might never see him again if he went back out there into the rain. "You can't just leave me like this."_

_He leaned as close to her as he could, his lips scant inches from hers. "I'll be back for you, I promise." His hand pressed against the barrier, and she reached past it to lace her fingers through his. "Now shut the door before it's too late."_

"_Come inside."_

"_Elena, you know I can't…"_

"_Come inside." She tugged at his fingers, urging him inside and to both their surprise, it worked. "How…?" Elena stared at their joined hands in wonder._

"_Never look a gift horse in the mouth," he grinned, shutting the heavy door behind them. "We should be safe enough in here, this place is built strong enough to keep out a whole pack of them."_

"_I wonder who lives here?" Very conscious of her hand still in his, Elena shivered, the cold seeping down into her bones through her wet clothes. _

"_Well, nobody's home right now, so I suggest we get you warmed up before you freeze to death and we went through all of this for nothing." He pulled her into the shelter of his embrace, but that just made it worse, his skin felt as cold as ice._

"_Y-you're not h-helping," she shivered in earnest now, "You're f-freezing." He let go of her, a disgruntled look on his face, and she had to laugh. Trust him to get offended because she rejected his embrace to keep from freezing to death. _

"_Come on, we'll get a fire going and you'll warm right up." In a flash he brought her in front of a huge hearth, large enough to step into, using his enhanced speed to get a fire crackling in no time. Elena got as close to the flames as she dared, but she was still painfully cold. "You should get out of those wet clothes before you get hypothermia."_

"_Nice try," she smirked, rolling her eyes. Not that he hadn't seen her in much less before._

"_I'm completely serious. You'd be better off with most of those clothes gone, right now the heat from the fire can't get through to your body. I won't even look, I swear." He turned resolutely around, and Elena stared at his back, wondering if she should take him at his word. She was so cold… With shaking hands, she tried to unbutton her top, but her frozen fingers wouldn't obey._

"_I can't," Elena cried out in frustration bordering on a wail. At this point she didn't care if he saw her or not, she needed help. "Could you…?"_

"_Don't have to tell me twice." He was suddenly there, his clever fingers making short work of her buttons, peeling the sodden fabric from her wet skin. Everywhere his fingers brushed against her sparked a different kind of warmth that had nothing to do with temperature. "You're kind of a mess, did you know that?"_

"_Thanks," she replied sourly, pulled from the mood by his words._

"_A beautiful mess." He brushed a wet clump of hair back from her brow. _

"_Thanks," she repeated, eyes lost in his, unable to object to his touch._

_His hands brushed over her bare arms, back and forth in a slow, soothing manner. "Now let's see if we can't get you warmed, up, shall we?" A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he pulled her closer, hooking his thumbs into the top of her jeans and Elena felts her lips twitch in kind. _

"_Is that all you ever think about? Getting me out of my clothes?"_

"_Is there anything else more important?" His hands splayed over her exposed sides, dipping just inside her jeans and she was already starting to feel warmer. _

_The danger forgotten, there was only the feel of his hands on her, the heat from the fire warming her exposed skin and painting shadows across his handsome face. "Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure we should take off your clothes too, the better to warm me up, of course."_

"_Be my guest." His brows went up in surprise, but she could tell he was trying to be cool about it. _

_Unable to resist, Elena's hands skimmed up under his shirt, fingers playing over the taut muscles that leapt beneath her touch. This was wrong… There was danger on their doorstep and the last thing they should be doing was anything like this. But then again, at any minute it could all end and she'd never get a chance to touch him again. Elena urged his shirt higher, pressing her body against him as he leaned down to kiss her._

"_That's my girl," he smiled against her lips, breaking contact with them only long enough to tug his shirt up and over his head._

* * *

Damon stared into the fire, in a black mood. On the one hand he felt much better, the infusion of fresh blood had done the trick and he was fit as a fiddle. But at what cost? A year ago, a taste of Elena's blood had been all he wanted from her. If he could steal her away from Stefan in the process, so much the better. A month ago, he would've given anything to forge that connection with her, the better to insinuate himself into her heart and show her he could be trusted, that he would never ever hurt her. A week ago, he would've crawled over broken glass to offer her _his_ blood in penance for his past crimes and the situation she found herself in. Even just a few days ago he would have leapt at the chance to take Elena up on what she offered with that blood.

But now?

Now that he'd had a taste of her sweet essence, her purity, her trust… How was he supposed to deliver her back to Stefan when all he wanted to do was rip through that flimsy tent and make her his?

Oh, he was pretty sure he could do just that and she'd welcome him with open arms. Until the morning brought with it a slew of regrets and shame, and Damon never wanted to see those things on her lovely face. Elena was worth the wait, _even if it killed him_. For the moment he closed his eyes, chasing that feeling of perfection when his senses had been awash with her goodness, her passion…

A soft sound caught his ears, and his eyes popped open, head canting to one side as he strained to hear if it would be duplicated. There – another soft murmur of… pain? Was Elena hurt? Had he taken too much from her after all? Scarcely stopping to think about it, he rushed to the tent, slipping inside to check on her. Damon was surprised to find her fast asleep, curled up into a ball as if she was hurt. Gently, he touched her forehead and her head fell to one side, brow furrowing as she struggled in her sleep.

Damon wrestled over the morality of waking her, versus slipping into the dream to try and fix it with a more hands on approach. Full of restless energy, the opportunity to kick a little ass sounded appealing and he stretched out beside her, closing his eyes as he prepared to link his mind to hers. It was difficult to concentrate with her breathy gasps of pain next to him, but Damon blocked out the worry, focusing on his breathing. Suddenly he was there, standing outside a mansion he'd never been to before. It was raining cats and dogs beyond the porch, and the grounds reminded him of the English countryside.

Trying the door, he was pleased to find it swung open easily and he stepped across the threshold without any trouble. A fire burned in the fireplace but the place was deserted, save for… was that Elena's shirt lying on the ground? In a flash he had the garment in his hand. Pressing it to his nose, he inhaled her delicate scent; Elena was definitely around somewhere, but where? Closing his eyes, he extended his senses, rewarded with another of Elena's soft cries, coming from somewhere above. Was she being held prisoner somewhere in the immense house? Moving stealthily, Damon ascended the stairs, listening carefully until he was sure he'd pinpointed the room she was inside.

He bound into the room, prepared to tear something limb from limb, dumbstruck at the sight of the huge four poster bed dominating the room. _Damn, they weren't painful sounds at all._

Damon's eyes drank in the smooth perfection of Elena's back as she writhed on top of the bed, her hair a dark curtain shielding her face as she rained kisses upon her partner. The last thing he wanted was to watch her getting all grindy with Stefan, and he turned to leave. He reached the door when a single word from Elena's lips froze him in his tracks.

"Damon…"

_Holy shit… was she dreaming about him?_ How was he not a part of this? It wasn't unethical to jump in, was it? He wasn't the one influencing her dreams this time, she had spun this reality all on her own. And it wasn't real, it wasn't like taking advantage of her after the kiss, neither one of them would have to feel guilty about it in the morning because it would never have really happened.

Damon's feet took him to the edge of the bed of their own volition, and he was close enough to reach out and touch her if he wanted to. It would be so easy to slip into the construct she'd built and show her what it would really be like to be his. It was a cinch her dream version of him wasn't doing him justice.

But it wouldn't be right. _God damn it_, when had he grown a conscience!

With a heavy heart, Damon pulled himself out of the dream, pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes with a groan as he heard her make another sigh of pleasure beside him. What the hell was he doing? Was wasn't he in there going for it? How long had he waited to find her warm and willing beside him?

Elena shifted beside him, and the scent of her arousal filled the tent. How had he missed that before? Had he really thought she was in pain? The musky scent was enough to make his mouth water, and Damon found himself rolling nearer. Elena instinctively scooted closer to him the moment her body felt him next to her, and Damon suppressed another groan as she wrapped her leg around his.

Her heart beat faster now, breath coming in little pants. She was getting close to the good stuff, and Damon dared to lay a hand on the flare of her hip, unable to stop himself from that small contact. Unconsciously he breathed with her, thumb brushing over the smooth band of bare skin at her waist. Her legs shifted as she rubbed against him, her body seeking intimacy to match the images dancing through her dreams.

God, how he wanted to touch her, really touch her. Give her the satisfaction that she craved, that her mind was already ascribing to him anyway, but he couldn't bear to do it. Every fiber of his being cried out to wake her with his kisses, take what she obviously wanted, consequences be damned. Instead, he held her as her body strained for release, a rush of bittersweet pleasure going through him as she shuddered in his arms, her soft cries leaving no doubt she'd found that sweet oblivion.

Her dark eyes fluttered open, blinking in confusion as she tried to reconcile what she'd experienced with their positions now. "Damon?" she murmured, her voice husky.

"Welcome back," he replied softly, not wanting to burst the bubble of intimacy between them.

"What did…?" Taking note of the way he held her, she pulled back, brows drawing together into a single dark line. "What did you do?"

_Oh, here it came._ "What exactly do you think I did?"

"You did that thing with my dreams, didn't you?" Her voice rose sharply and she scooted away from him. "How could you do that? And to think, I actually thought you were being gallant earlier tonight? It was all an act to get me to go to sleep and get what you really wanted wasn't it?"

In the darkness, Damon scowled, both at her assumption and at himself for letting it hurt as much as it did. But this was good, they'd been getting too close for comfort anyway. "I hate to break it to you, but anything you were dreaming about was all you, baby. You're the one having sexy dreams about someone who isn't your sweet Stefan, and you're the one who was all over me here. I came in here to see if you were okay when you started making noises like a squirrel. How was I to know I was starring in your own personal romance movie?"

"You expect me to believe you had nothing to do with that?" she frowned, hand going to her chest, as if she had trouble believing it was adequately covered.

"Believe what you want, but you can be damn sure if it was me in there getting my rocks off, I wouldn't be the one out here needing a cold shower," he muttered irritably. Suddenly the close quarters were unbearable and he leaned up to unzip the tent, grabbing his pack for a change of clothes.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going for a walk."

Elena was quiet then, and he took her silence for tacit agreement that they both needed some space. The trouble was, he didn't want to go far and leave her unprotected. Elena was the only person he knew who could fall into trouble without taking a single step. Damon waited good and long until he was sure she'd be asleep again before he returned to the tent, and her soft voice surprised him in the darkness.

"I'm sorry," she ventured, "I shouldn't have accused you."

"Don't sweat it, I'm used to it." It was hard to keep the bitterness from his voice, so Damon gave up and let it out. "I have no idea why I thought you might know me better than that. Actually, strike that. I have no idea why I didn't think of doing something like that sooner. I wasted three good nights." _There, let her stew over that._

"I wasn't thinking clearly, I woke up and you were there and…"

Damon didn't need or want the recap, and cut her off. "It's better if we don't talk about it. Whatever happens in dreamland, stays in dreamland."

"Maybe we should talk about this?"

Christ, all he wanted to do was forget about it and she wanted to talk it to death. "Look it's not your fault, it's a purely biological thing. Nobody can control what they dream about. I get that it doesn't mean anything, so you don't have to worry, I won't tell Stefan about your walk on the wild side."

"But Damon…"

"Go to sleep, Elena. Tomorrow we go home and you can forget all about our little adventure." _About him._

But he wouldn't.

* * *

Damon had no idea how much time went by before he actually fell asleep, but he was deep in his own dreams when something woke him. His eyes fell upon Elena, her eyes opened wide, staring sightlessly ahead, the breath leaving her body in a strangled cry of pain. "Elena?" There was no mistaking pleasure for pain this time, and Damon immediately reached for her, checking her over but there was no sign of injury.

"No…" she sobbed, her head whipping from side to side in agony.

"What is it? Elena answer me!"

**A/N: Poor Damon… two steps forward, one step back. Should make for some interesting reflections from Elena in the future though.**

**I couldn't resist the little cliffhanger, three guesses what's up.**

**Feedback is Love**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was sharing a tent with Damon…**

**Here's a note from when I originally wrote this chapter: I was re-reading through my first fanfic the other day, **_**One is the Loneliest Number**_**, (first time since I wrote it last year) and I really miss the season one Damon, who acts like he doesn't give a damn what people think. As in:**

"**Why did you do that?" Elena hissed, moving closer to Damon as soon as she was out of sight.**

"**What? I thought that's what you wanted me to do."**

"**You have no right to go around… messing with people's heads just because you can."**

"**Hey, it's not like I told her to chuck it all and become a stripper… not that I have anything against strippers…"**

"**Damon…"**

"**Why do you always say my name like that? Like I don't realize what it is I've just done. Of course I realize it… I just don't care." He grinned. **

"**I don't know why I even bother…" Elena moved away from him.**

**I've been thinking I need to bring more of that Damon to this fic as he tries to distance himself from Elena to protect his heart. He's got that wall up for a reason, right? **

**I'm taking our pair back home in this chapter, so the road trip is over, but that doesn't mean the story is at an end. There's still a lot of things to resolve between them. And some walls that definitely need to come down.**

_Damon had no idea how much time went by before he actually fell asleep, but he was deep in his own dreams when something woke him. His eyes fell upon Elena, her eyes opened wide, staring sightlessly ahead, the breath leaving her body in a strangled cry of pain. "Elena?" There was no mistaking pleasure for pain this time and Damon immediately reached for her, checking her over but there was no sign of injury._

"_No…" she sobbed, her head whipping from side to side in agony. _

"_What is it? Elena answer me!"_

* * *

Elena fell to her knees as a wave of agony unlike anything she'd ever experienced slammed into her, pain throbbing within the very marrow of her bones. But still, she kept chanting, drawing power from all around her, feeding the spell or this would all be for nothing. Stefan lay on the ground unmoving, a stake plunged into his back, but she couldn't think about that right now, she couldn't think about anything but bringing Klaus down once and for all.

Somewhere in the distance Caroline sobbed, holding Tyler to her chest, and Jeremy… Jeremy was nowhere to be found, but that was a good thing, at least she hoped so. If only she'd had the time to… No, she couldn't focus on that right now, there was too much at stake. Focusing her eyes on where Klaus lay writhing on the ground, she sharpened her resolve, voice rising on the wind to deliver the final blow.

The wind howled like a banshee, swirling all around her as she became the eye of the storm. Suddenly there were dozens of voices chanting with her, lending their strength and she pulsed with the sheer force of their power. The clouds parted and a shaft of light from heaven itself pierced the night, bathing Klaus in holy fire. He screamed and screamed as his body was consumed. And then there were no more screams, only the deafening chant as the witches completed the spell and the stench of burning flesh.

Elena sagged to the ground, too weak to stand as the witches took their leave, riding the tail end of the storm. It was over. Klaus was finally dead and it was really over. Her hand shook as she raised it to the necklace hanging around her throat. "I did it," she wheezed. "I kept you safe." She was dying now, but it was worth it. She'd fulfilled her purpose, her entire reason for being born to such power in the first place. If only she'd been able to see Jeremy one last time, to tell him… what did she want to tell him? Her thoughts were all a jumble.

Elijah bent over her body, his face looming large as he peered down at her as the light started to fade. "I'd say that went well," he said in a dispassionate voice.

All at once Elena felt herself floating, looking down at her body. Only… that wasn't her body at all. "Bonnie!" she screamed, but she had no voice, no body, nothing at all as she drifted farther and farther away. There was nothing left but anguish until she slammed back into her own body, dimly registering that Damon was holding her, speaking words she couldn't quite make out.

"She's gone. Bonnie's gone," Elena wept, collapsing against Damon's chest, needing his strength.

* * *

This time Damon tried to wake her instead of attempting to venture into whatever kind of nightmare had a hold of Elena, but she didn't respond to his voice. It was almost like she wasn't there, didn't hear him, didn't see him. Whatever it was she was going through, it ripped through his soul to hear her cry out in pain like that, and if he could've taken it from her, he would've. He'd just about decided to either try and get into her dream or knock her unconscious to spare her the pain when she came back to him, sobbing about Bonnie, and that's when he understood.

The witch's plan had worked.

If he'd known Elena would be linked to her when it all went down, he would've had words with Bonnie, but for now all he could do was hold Elena and hope it had been enough. If Klaus had survived…

His phone rang, letting him know by the tone it was Stefan, and he answered it, one arm still wrapped protectively around Elena.

"It's over. You can come home now." Stefan sounded exhausted, his voice devoid of any inflection.

"What happened, did we win?"

There was a long pause. "We did, but not without a price."

That was all Damon needed to hear. "I'll bring her home as soon as I can." Not that he wanted to, but he knew she'd want her family and friends around her. Now that it was safe, she wouldn't want him around anymore. Hanging up on Stefan before he could say anything else, he held Elena in his arms for the last time, rocking her gently until she fell back asleep again.

* * *

Elena woke with a crick in her neck, surprised to find herself in the car, the sun already high in the sky. "What…"

"I thought you'd want to get back as soon as possible, so I let you sleep while I got you to the car. You might want to hold off on those marshmallows for a while, by the way, your ass isn't getting any lighter."

Brows drawing together in a frown, she ignored the jibe, still processing what had happened the night before. She'd almost thought it was all a dream, but now with Damon in a snippy mood and the car pointed toward home, it left little doubt in her mind. However crazy it sounded, she'd been part of the experience, sharing consciousness with Bonnie while she paid the ultimate price. "So it's really over? Klaus is gone?"

"Looks that way. Soon this will all be just a road bump in the epic saga of Stefan and Elena, and you can ride off into the sunset with hearts and flowers." His voice was light, like he couldn't care less and would be glad to get rid of her.

"And Bonnie…"

"I'm pretty sure someone dropped a house on her."

"That's not funny. Bonnie sacrificed herself for me, for all of us. I can't understand why she did it." And after she'd begged her not pull any crazy stunts too.

"There's no sense in torturing yourself over it. What's done is done. It's time to live in the now and look to the future."

"Yeah, the future," Elena murmured, looking out the window. What would the future bring? She'd been so focused on living from crisis to crisis, it was hard to think about making any real plans. Could they all relax now? Or would Katherine start to cause trouble again now that the danger had passed? What about Elijah? Would he stick to the bargain and leave them in peace now that his brother was gone? It seemed too much to hope for that they could start to put their lives back together again.

Her eyes continually went back to Damon who blithely ignored her for the most part. Something had changed between them and she wasn't sure what it was. For a while they'd been growing closer, more relaxed around each other, some of the layers of armor chipping away to expose the real man inside the façade. And then they'd ventured past those safe boundaries into dangerous territory, but still, they'd pulled away in time to avoid any permanent damage to their friendship. At least she'd thought so. But the new morning brought with it a different Damon, one she almost didn't recognize.

This Damon was cool and aloof, revealing very little when he looked at her. Selfishly, she wished she had the other Damon back. The one who'd held her the night before and whispered into her hair that everything would be alright. The one that made her feel safe and special. Guiltily, she realized that wasn't fair to him. She should be looking forward to getting home and feeling those things for Stefan.

So why did her eyes keep returning to Damon's profile and wishing she could do something to erase the hard lines that creased his brow?

She was subdued for the rest of the drive home, and Damon pushed the car to its limits as if he wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible. He drove like a madman, stopping only when she needed to for food or gas and it was full night by the time he pulled into the driveway of the boardinghouse. Sitting in the dark, neither one of them tried to leave the car. The silence grew into a tangible thing, suffocating her, and yet she made no move to leave the warm, dark cocoon because then it would be over, she was sure of it.

Finally, she could take it no more and Elena reached out to cover his hand with hers. Damon flinched at the touch, his jaw twitching with something indefinable until he swung the power of those eyes onto her and she couldn't resist their pull. "Damon, I…" Elena never got to finish the sentence as Stefan yanked open the passenger door.

"Elena, thank God you're home where you belong."

She looked down to their joined hands, feeling the pull between both brothers until Damon spoke. "Yeah, Elena, you're home where you belong." He slipped his hand out from under hers, leaving the car without a backwards glance. On autopilot, Elena let Stefan all but scoop her out of the car and into his arms, giving in to the comfort offered as he held her tight.

"Let's get you inside." Stefan marched her like an invalid into the house. Her eyes immediately went to the sideboard where she expected to find Damon, but he was already a step ahead of her, leaning against the fireplace with a glass in hand. "Can I get you anything? A glass of water or something to eat?" He led her to the couch where she sank down with a grateful smile.

"No, thank you, I'm fine." Only she didn't feel fine. Elena didn't feel fine at all. She felt like she might fly apart at any moment. "Stefan, tell me, is Bonnie… is she really gone?"

Stefan's face sobered and he dropped his gaze. "Yes, she was the one to defeat Klaus, and even with the added power from the witches' spirits, it was too much for her, and she slipped away."

"Did you know?" Elena's throat felt raw with pain, remembering Bonnie's last moments on Earth. "Did you know what she had planned?"

"No, I had no idea. Elena, I'm so sorry, I wish there had been some other way. But by the time I realized what she was doing, it was too late and I'd been wounded."

Elena remembered the vision of him lying on the ground with the stake in his back and she nodded. "It's alright, I know it wasn't your fault." Her eyes went to where Damon stood at the fireplace, staring into the flames as though he wasn't listening to their conversation at all. "What about you, did you know what Bonnie was planning all along?"

For a long moment he didn't answer, and then he drained his glass, barely sparing her a glance as he went to refill it. "Of course I knew. I figured it out the second she swapped necklaces with you. That bit of mojo she worked in the hotel room? She was putting Klaus hot on her trail instead of yours. She knew what she was doing from day one."

Elena stared at him, "How could you not tell me what she was up to, when you knew, you _knew_ I was against it?"

Damon gave a careless shrug, refilling his glass. "I figured you didn't need to worry your pretty little head about it."

"You unbelievable bastard."

"Oh, come on, I might be a bastard, but I think I'm pretty believable," he smirked. "You believe it, don't you brother?"

Stefan merely blinked, watching the rapid-fire conversation between the two with mounting confusion.

Elena jumped to her feet, snatching the drink from his hand and slamming it down on the table where it sloshed over the rim. "You had no right to keep something like that from me!"

"Would you have done the same for her?" Damon countered, advancing a step closer, and it took her a moment to switch tacks, disconcerted by his proximity.

"That's not…"

"Would you? Would you give your life for Bonnie or Stefan or Caroline? For me?" Damon advanced another step, closing the distance between them so that she was forced to look up to meet his gaze.

"Yes, I would," Elena replied softly.

"Then she had the same right."

On a purely logical level she could understand his argument, but it still didn't sit right with her. "You should've tried to find a way for us to fix the problem together. It's not up to you to decide who lives and dies."

"I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall, I didn't used to think you were this dense." He gave an exaggerated eye roll. "How many times do I have to say it? When the choice is between you and anyone else, it's _always_ gonna be you. I'm not going to apologize for it, so get over it." Damon backed away, drink forgotten, and loped up the stairs with easy grace.

"I won't forget this," she called after him.

"Good. That'll be a nice contrast to how you deal with the rest of our time together, won't it?" He called back before he disappeared from view.

Elena watched him go with profound sadness, not realizing it when Stefan approached until he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm just glad you're okay. You are okay, aren't you?" He searched her face carefully, catching her by the chin and she pulled away, not liking the way he was examining her for marks.

"Yes, of course I am."

His voice lowered, which was ridiculous with Damon in the house. "Damon didn't… he didn't hurt you or try anything did he?"

Elena's thoughts immediately went to the memory of the shared kiss. It had been _her_ that crossed the line, and Damon who had stopped it. "No, of course not. Damon would never hurt me." She responded automatically, almost surprised to realize it was true. He might rub her the wrong way on occasion, but he'd never hurt her, not really. "I'd like to think you already knew that before you let me go away with him even for a few days."

"I know he wouldn't willingly hurt you but… self control has never been his strong suit," Stefan replied with a sigh.

_Ha, if only he knew!_ Damon had a will of iron, much more self control than _she_ had. If it had been up to her, they would have… Off on her own tangent, she blinked when she realized Stefan was looking at her like he expected an answer to something. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Are you really alright?" His brows knit together with worry.

"Yeah, I am really, it's just… a lot to take in, you know?"

"It's been a rough few days for all of us. I missed you so much." Stefan's arms slid around her waist, drawing her close. "I couldn't stop thinking about what was happening to you, where you were, what you were doing. Tell me all about it?"

That was the _last_ thing she wanted to get into just then. There were things that happened between her and Damon that she was still acknowledging herself, let alone trying to distill it in a way that wouldn't make Stefan flip out. "I need to try and process everything that's happened. I just want to rest right now. Is that alright with you?"

"Sure, of course. We can go to bed now if you like. There's nothing I'd rather do than hold you in my arms." His lips descended over hers for a kiss and she returned it automatically before turning away.

"I need some rest." Elena could feel herself pulling away from him, and she could see the hurt on his face before he whisked it away with a supportive smile, but she couldn't help herself. What she needed most of all was space to figure out what came next. She couldn't do that with either Damon or Stefan hanging around making puppy dog eyes at her. "All I want to do is curl up in a ball for the next month and wait until all of this makes sense."

"We can do that. We don't have to leave the house if you don't want to, leave everything to me."

"I'll have to go back to school."

"Don't worry about that right now. Like I said, leave everything to me. You focus on feeling better. The world will still be there when you're ready." Stefan smiled, and she wrapped her arms around him in gratitude, laying her head on his chest.

"Thank you for being so understanding." Even when he didn't fully know what he was being understanding about. How could he when she was so mixed up herself?

"Understanding is my middle name," he smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Do you want some company then or would you like to be alone for a while?"

"Actually, I'd love a hot bath. I feel all sore and dirty from camping out."

"Camping?"

"Yes, I'll tell you about it later, I promise."

"Alright, you go run a hot bath. I'll fix you something to light to eat. Sound good?"

"Sounds like perfection," Elena sighed in relief, giving him a brief hug before she headed for the stairs. "Stefan?" She turned to look back at him. "I do love you, you know." It felt like she needed to say it. Not just to him, but for herself.

"And I will always love you, Elena," he replied earnestly.

**A/N: Okay I know this was kind of a downer chapter, but more fun is coming, I promise! **

**Feedback is Love**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was sharing a dance with Damon…**

**Still a little bit of a downer at the beginning here as Elena is dealing with the loss of her best friend, but as promised, definite sparks towards the end. There's even dancing. Okay so for the dance, I was listening to music in the car the other day and Sugar Water by Cibo Matto came on (think back to 1****st**** episode of Buffy, season two, "When She Was Bad", go google it, I'll wait) and I knew I just had to write a dance scene between these two somehow. Thanks for waiting guys, here you go…**

"_I just need some rest." Elena could feel herself pulling away from him, and she could see the hurt on his face before he whisked it away with a supportive smile, but she couldn't help herself. What she needed most of all was space to figure out what came next. She couldn't do that with either Damon or Stefan hanging around making puppy dog eyes at her. "All I want to do is curl up in a little ball for the next month and wait until all of this makes sense."_

"_We can do that. We don't have to leave the house if you don't want to, just leave everything to me."_

"_I'll have to go back to school…"_

"_Don't worry about that right now. Like I said, leave everything to me. You focus on feeling better, the world will still be there when you're ready." Stefan smiled, and she wrapped her arms around him in gratitude, laying her head on his chest. _

"_Thank you for being so understanding." Even when he didn't fully know what he was being understanding about. How could he when she was so mixed up herself? _

"_Understanding is my middle name." He smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Do you want some company then or would you like to be alone for a while?"_

"_Actually I'd love a hot bath. I feel all sore and dirty from camping out."_

"_Camping?"_

"_Yeah, I'll tell you about it later, I promise."_

"_Alright, you go run a hot bath. I'll fix you something to light to eat. Sound good?"_

"_Sounds like perfection," Elena sighed happily, giving him a little hug before she headed for the stairs. "Stefan?" She turned to look back at him. "I do love you, you know." It felt like she needed to say it. Not just to him, but for herself._

"_And I will always love you, Elena." He replied earnestly._

* * *

The next few days passed in a blur for Elena. Spending more time sleeping than she probably should have, she found herself going through the motions of living, in the throes of a deep depression. There were multiple calls from Jenna that she didn't return, and she knew she should show up for classes, but she couldn't bring herself to face anyone.

They'd all know it was her fault Bonnie was dead. Okay, so maybe everyone in school wouldn't know, but the people that counted did, and she couldn't take that look of accusation she assumed would be in their eyes. Especially Jeremy. God, how could she ever face him again?

On the day of the funeral, Elena recognized Stefan's soft knock on the door. "Come in," she called out, still lying in bed. Stefan pushed the door open hesitantly, despite the fact that it was his room. A wave of guilt washed over her for having practically kicked him out of his own room. At night he slept beside her, but for the most part she'd made it clear she wanted to be alone to _sort things out_.

"I came to see what time you wanted to leave for the memorial service," he asked, sitting on the side of the bed.

That was the question she'd been avoiding the past few days. "I don't think I can make it. I'll go later and pay my respects, but I don't want to deal with the whole service, her family…"

Stefan hesitated for a moment as though he might protest, but then nodded. "Okay, whatever you want." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Can I get you something to eat?"

Elena wasn't hungry, but she knew he'd hover if she didn't give him something to do. "Sure, something light?"

"You got it." He winked at her playfully, and she gave him a tremulous smile before turning her gaze back to the window.

"You're making a mistake."

Elena looked up to see Damon leaning against the doorway to the bedroom, halfway in and halfway out. She hadn't seen him since the day he'd brought her home, it was easier that way. "I don't expect you to understand," she said sourly.

"Okay, lay it on me. What's your thought process in turning into a virtual shut in and ignoring your best friend's funeral?"

Pressing her lips together to bite back the stinging reply that leapt to her lips, Elena tried to explain her biggest reason for avoiding the ceremony. "Everyone there will know it's my fault."

"Oh come on, that's a little dramatic, don't you think? What, like five people total know it's your fault?"

"Do you think you're being funny?"

"This isn't about you, Elena. This is about paying your respects to your best friend. She was your best friend, right?"

"Of course she was. What kind of a question is that?"

"One you've apparently forgotten the meaning of. How can you not go to her funeral after everything she did for you?"

"I can't face them."

Damon nodded slowly, as if he'd suddenly gained understanding. "Huh. I never thought I'd live to see the day."

Elena had no idea what he was going on about, but she leaned up on her elbow to get a better look at him. "What?"

"You, putting your own feelings ahead of everybody else. I never knew you had a selfish streak in you before, good for you. Don't let what anyone else says keep you from doing what you want."

"What are you talking about?" How exactly was she being selfish? She was trying to protect other people's feelings, didn't he see that?

"Did you ever stop to think that other people might need you today? More than your own self-pity does?"

His words hit her hard. Was that what she was doing? Wallowing over her guilt and ignoring everyone else? Maybe Jeremy did need her? Or Caroline? Belatedly she recalled the last part of the vision, seeing Caroline weeping over Tyler's body. Was Tyler alright? She hadn't even bothered to find out. What was wrong with her?

Stefan showed up, tray in hand, his brow furrowing at the sight of Damon talking to Elena. "Hey, what's going on here?"

"Talking to a brick wall, same as usual." Damon gave a roll of the eyes.

"Leave her alone." Stefan's chin came up pugnaciously, almost spoiling for a fight.

"Gladly." Stealing a piece of buttery toast off the tray, Damon slipped out of the room.

Stefan turned to Elena, setting the breakfast tray down on a table. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she nodded distractedly, still thinking over what he'd said.

"I'm sorry, I should have shut the door."

"Like that would keep Damon out if he wanted in," Elena scoffed.

"Are you really okay?"

Stefan treated her as if she was made of glass, and Elena realized she'd been acting like she would shatter with the smallest sound. "You know, I think I will go to the service today after all."

"Are you sure?"

Having said the words, she couldn't help but feel like it was the right thing to do. "Yes, it's the least I can do. I owe it to Bonnie."

A relieved smile crossed Stefan's face. "Okay, good. I'll let you get ready then. I'll see you downstairs in about an hour?"

Elena nodded, giving him a faint smile as he left. Looking down at the toast and hot chocolate on the tray, she frowned at the missing piece of toast Damon had snatched. Picking up another buttery piece, she munched on it on the way to the bathroom to take a long hot shower.

About an hour later, Elena emerged at the top of the stairs, dressed in somber black. She came down the stairs, putting her earrings on. Catching sight of Damon sprawled in an armchair below, perennial drink in hand, she frowned at his casual attire. "Aren't you going too?"

"Why should I go?" Damon looked at her as if she'd grown another head.

"You said it was important…"

"Yeah, for _you_, not for me," he snorted. "Bonnie hated me. I'm the last person who should show up at her funeral."

"I guess I can understand that," Elena allowed, though she couldn't help but feel disappointed he wouldn't make the effort. Looking up as Stefan came down in his suit, she gave him a warm smile. "You look very nice."

"So do you." He kissed her forehead lightly. "I'll go pull the car around."

"Okay, thanks." Elena waited for Stefan to leave before she turned around to face the living room again. "Damon?"

"Yeah." He didn't turn to look at her.

"Thanks. For what you said before."

"You mean when I insulted you? Anytime," he smirked.

"I know what you were doing, and it needed saying. So thanks."

Keeping his eyes fixed on the glass, he swirled the amber liquid around. "I was just looking to get some peace and quiet around the house. With you living here twenty-four seven it gets a hard to relax."

A faint smile tilted her lips and she nodded, letting it go. "Well, thanks anyway. Enjoy your solitude."

"Give Ric a hug for me. Tell him I'll soldier on, somehow."

Elena turned to leave, but not before lobbing a pillow in his general direction. Later at the cemetery, Elena couldn't be sure, but she thought she did see Damon out of the corner of her eye. But when she turned her head, he was gone.

* * *

"How come you're not getting all girly over the dance?" Damon stood at his usual spot, in the doorway to what had become Elena's bedroom over the past few weeks. While she'd come somewhat out of her shell, returning to school, Damon couldn't shake the feeling that she was still avoiding life in a big way. Part of it suited his purpose just fine, as Stefan was treating her with kid gloves. The two hadn't shared more than a brief peck on the lips since Klaus' defeat. But he was determined to push her out of her comfort zone, one way or another.

"What dance?"

"Wasn't that what Caroline was squeaking about before she left?" he replied as if he hadn't been listening to the entire conversation.

"I guess so, maybe."

"I thought the senior prom was kind of a big thing for girls your age."

Elena looked up, meeting his eyes in the mirror. "I haven't been a girl my age for a very long time."

_Damn._ Where was his playful Elena? The one who'd fooled around with him in the water? He was sure she'd be back by now if he pushed the right buttons. "Did you ever think that if you went to something fun like a dance you might not feel quite so ancient anymore?"

"A dance is the last thing I feel like doing right now. I don't even want to go to school. As it is, I'm probably going to have to take some online courses this summer to make sure I have enough credits to graduate on time with all the classes I've missed."

"Why don't you have Ric monkey with your transcripts and do a little creative bookkeeping?" He flashed his eyes mischievously. He might have to suggest it to him, it could be fun breaking into the school in the dead of night.

"I can't ask him to do that. And don't you do it either!" she added as an afterthought.

"Okay, okay. Far be it from me to want you to have a good time." His hands came up in a supplicating gesture. "Enjoy your brooding." He shut the door, seeking Stefan out in the spare bedroom he'd taken over as his own. "I don't suppose it matters to you, but Elena's turning into a serious drag."

Stefan didn't look up from the journal he was writing in, his pen still flowing over the page. "If it bothers you so much, then stay away from her."

"No seriously, did you know she doesn't even want to go to her senior prom?"

"Yes, we talked about it already. I agreed not to push her into doing anything she isn't ready for."

Typical. "Who says she's not ready?"

"She does."

"Yeah, cause her judgment's real sound right now," Damon muttered.

Now Stefan looked up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. She's acting more like you than herself."

"She's been through a lot."

"Yeah so? Life goes on, only she's not living it. She's gonna turn into Broody McBrooderson just like you."

"She needs some time to recover, that's all. She'll be back to her old self in no time."

"We're already way beyond _no time_. You're the one who wanted her to stay human and experience human things. Well, this is an important rite of passage for a teenage girl. Letting her hide from the world serves no purpose but to keep her all to yourself. I though you were supposed to be the selfless one."

Stefan looked up, a thoughtful look on his face.

* * *

In the end it was the dress that swayed her. Sure, Stefan had talked around the idea of going to the prom, and Caroline had been chattering about it non-stop, all excited about going with Tyler, but it was the dress that mysteriously appeared in a big pink box that managed to get her interested in going to the dance.

At first, she'd thought the gift was from Stefan, but she recognized Damon's sprawling script on the card. "Go ahead, try it on, you know you want to," was all it read. Elena was almost afraid to see what she would find inside the box. Picturing something blood red with a plunging neckline or maybe something pink and frilly, she was wholly unprepared for the elegant gown beneath the tissue paper. In a deep, sapphire blue, the design was simple but sophisticated, accentuating her slim build, with just the right amount of attention to her curves to flatter without being vulgar. Tiny black beads were sewn into the hem and bodice, giving the color an added depth and texture.

Unable to resist, she slipped the dress on, marveling at how it fit her perfectly, as if it had been designed specifically for her. It definitely wasn't something she'd be able to pick up at the mall, and Elena wondered where on Earth he'd gotten it. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she was stunned to find something on her face she almost didn't recognize.

A smile.

He'd gotten to her with a dress. How cliché could she be? But then again, she was a teenage girl, right? So why shouldn't she act like one for a change?

Later that night she told Stefan she was willing to go if he could still get them tickets, and his smile stretched a mile wide. In the hopes that she'd change her mind, he'd already bought the tickets, arranged for a limo, the whole nine yards. As the dance approached, she made plans to double with Caroline and Tyler and she started to feel almost like herself again.

The night of the prom, a black velvet box showed up on top of the dresser without a note this time. Inside was a stunning choker necklace with matching earrings done in sapphires and diamonds. There was no way they could be real – a necklace like that would have cost in the tens of thousands, maybe more. But it matched her dress perfectly, so she resolved to thank Damon for the thoughtful gift and slipped them on. A tap on the door warned her that Stefan was outside and she called out for him to come in.

"Almost ready to go?"

"Yep, putting on the final touches now," Elena nodded, smiling at him in the mirror. He did look fantastic all dressed up in his tux, but when she turned to face him, Stefan had a troubled look on his face. "Is something wrong?"

"Where did you get that necklace?"

Her hand automatically went to the blue jewels. "I think Damon thought it would go with the dress, so…"

"Damon gave it to you?"

For some reason that brought a frown to his face, and Elena tried to figure out why. "Damon _lent_ it to me. I was planning on giving it back as soon as the dance is over. I don't have to wear them if it bothers you though." She raised her hand to the clasp.

"No, no it caught me by surprise is all. I haven't seen that set in a long, long time."

"You've seen this before?"

"It belonged to my mother. I didn't think he even had it anymore."

Not quite sure what the message was behind the gift, she wondered if she should be accepting it. "Oh, if you don't think I should wear them…"

"No, of course you should, you look beautiful," he smiled. "I'm glad you were able to find a dress in time."

Elena bit her tongue to keep from blurting out that it had been a gift from Damon as well, thinking Stefan might object after his initial reaction to Damon's gift of the necklace. Maybe that meant the jewels were real after all. Catching her reflection in the mirror she tried to picture what their mother had looked like in them, but realized she'd never seen any pictures of his family before. Maybe she'd ask him about it sometime, but the honk from the limousine outside drew her away from her reverie. "We should probably go."

Stefan offered her his arm and she let him lead her down the stairs, the dress forcing her to move at a stately pace. She felt like a princess or a debutante at a ball making her grand entrance… only there was no one there to see her. With a pang of disappointment, Elena realized that she'd fully expected to find Damon waiting downstairs to see her in all of her finery. Hell, she supposed she'd even been thinking he might crash the party and go himself. But then again, why would he? It was her prom, not his. Somehow she'd gotten used to him being around, muscling his way into all facets of her life, and the empty room filled her with a sadness she couldn't explain.

But there wasn't time to dwell on it. Caroline and Tyler waited in the limo and the next couple of hours were completely packed with laughter and excitement as they enjoyed the night. There were one or two times when she caught Caroline's eye and they shared a private moment. Both thought Bonnie would've liked that particular song, or that dress was the exact shade that she loved, little moments that made her miss her friend, but overall she was having a marvelous time.

At the announcement that Caroline had been named the prom queen, Elena turned to Stefan with a smile. "I'm glad we came, this was a good idea. Look how happy she is."

"That should be you up there." He kissed her bare shoulder, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"Bite your tongue!" she laughed. "The right girl won, she was born for this stuff. Oh! We should get some pictures of her though. Do you have your phone?"

"Ah, yes, I've got it here." He fished it out.

"Great, can you get some shots of her up there on stage and then a few of her dancing? I know she'll really appreciate it later."

"Of course, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"I'll be right here." Elena dropped a quick kiss to his cheek, watching as he edged closer to the makeshift stage at the front of the gym. The music started up, with a low, throbbing beat and she clapped as they took the dance floor. Eyes on the couple, she almost missed him, but then something made her look back again and she spotted him across the dance floor.

Damon.

Moving with a steady purpose, he stalked toward her, and Elena's mouth went dry. Damon looked better than he had a right to in a black suit, his white shirt open at the neck with casual grace. That little smirk was on his face, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, and she dropped her gaze. Half expecting him to come up with a lame excuse for being there, or making some kind of smarmy comment about her looking good in his dress, he caught her off guard with his simple request.

"Dance with me."

Her eyes darted to where she could see Stefan in the crowd, dutifully capturing video footage of Caroline twirling on the dance floor. There were all sorts of reasons why she shouldn't dance with him, namely because as soon as he'd asked, her body clamored to jump into his arms. But it was just a dance, right? Still, she found herself hesitating. "Damon, I don't know…"

"Dance with me," he repeated, holding out his hand.

"Okay, but only for a minute, Stefan will be back," she replied, reminding herself in the process, even as her hand rose to join his.

"Come on, you're wasting the song." Tugging lightly on her hand, he led her onto the dance floor which was now crowded with couples. Elena followed along, pushing away the doubts that sprang up at his touch. _It's just a dance_, she told herself.

His hips were already moving to the beat as he pulled her into his embrace. Her arms rose to circle his neck, finding the rhythm, she started to move with him. The song was slow and sensuous, the throbbing beat reverberating between them as she gravitated closer to him. Their eyes locked together, they danced in perfect synchrony, the rest of the crowd fading into the background under the power of his gaze.

Elena reveled in the feeling of power she had over him, knowing Damon was completely attuned to her every move. She felt sexy and alive in a way she hadn't in a long time, and part of it was because she knew she shouldn't be doing this.

But it was just a dance…

Turning, she pressed her back to his chest, never missing a beat when his hands closed on her hips. She could feel his cool breath on her neck and her skin tingled as she sensed his hunger for more than the dance. Damon's arm wrapped around her middle, pulling her close, and she flashed back to the night he'd fed upon her, the feel of his teeth sinking into her flesh and the rush of pleasure it brought with it. Unconsciously, her head fell back, giving him that access again. Pressed up against the length of his body, they swayed and pulsed together to the beat of the music. At the brush of his lips against her ear, her hand came up to wrap around the back of his neck, just as she had that night.

"Your body remembers me." His voice was low and intimate by her ear.

It wasn't just a dance.

He was right, her body throbbed for his touch and she wanted it too. "I remember lots of things," she whispered back, trusting his ears to pick it up through the din of the room.

"So do I. I'm a friggin' idiot for letting you go that night."

No, he'd been right to stop them, just like she should stop what they were doing before it got too out of hand. And yet her body still moved with his, shivering with delight when his cool fingers traced a path down the smooth expanse of her back. "This is wrong," she murmured.

"I don't care," Damon growled into her hair.

"May I cut in?" Stefan's voice cut through the haze of pleasure, and Elena's steps faltered as she lost the beat.

"Stefan…" She blushed all the way down to her toes as she wondered how much of that he might have overheard. "Um, yes… of course." She gave him an awkward smile, not quite sure how to take the neutral look on his face.

"Perfect timing as usual." Damon's voice was clipped, but he still released Elena without argument. "Some other time?" He cocked a single brow to her.

Elena nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Stefan waited for Damon to saunter away before taking Elena into his arms, and she was gratified to find the music changed to something less intimate, she didn't think she could go that easily from one brother's arms to another without the change. Her heart was starting to get back to normal again when Stefan spoke, his voice strained.

"What the hell happened between the two of you when you were away together?"

**A/N: Dun, dun, dun! We're at the beginning of the end for Stefan and Elena guys, I promise! So what did you guys think? **

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	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was sharing a dance with Damon…**

**Thanks for the reviews! I'm so glad you guys liked the dance! I went back and forth over whether or not to include Bonnie's funeral and decided in the end it was too much of a downer. Besides, I couldn't wait to get to the good stuff! Ah, I love writing arguments…**

_Turning, she pressed her back to his chest, never missing a beat when his hands closed on her hips. She could feel his cool breath on her neck and her skin tingled as she sensed his hunger for more than the dance. Damon's arm wrapped around her middle, pulling her close and she flashed back to the night he'd fed upon her, the feel of his teeth sinking into her flesh and the rush of pleasure it brought with it. Unconsciously her head fell back, giving him that access again. Pressed up against the length of his body, they swayed and pulsed together to the beat of the music. At the brush of his lips against her ear, her hand came up to wrap around the back of his neck, just as she had that night._

"_Your body remembers me," his voice was low and intimate by her ear._

_It wasn't just a dance. He was right, her body was throbbing for his touch and she wanted it too. "I remember lots of things," she whispered back, trusting his ears to pick it up through the din of the room._

"_So do I. I'm a friggin' idiot for letting you go that night."_

_No, he'd been right to stop them, just like she should be stopping what they were doing before it got too out of hand. And yet her body still moved with his, shivering with delight when his cool fingers traced a path down the smooth expanse of her back. "This is wrong," she murmured._

"_I don't care," Damon growled into her hair. _

"_May I cut in?" Stefan's voice cut through the haze of pleasure and Elena's steps faltered as she lost the beat. _

"_Stefan…" she blushed all the way down to her toes as she wondered just how much of that he might have overheard. "Um yeah, of course." She gave him an awkward smile, not quite sure how to take the neutral look on his face._

"_Perfect timing as usual," Damon's voice was clipped, but he still released Elena without argument. "Some other time?" He cocked a single brow to her._

_Elena nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Stefan waited for Damon to saunter away before taking Elena into his arms, and she was gratified to find the music changed to something a little less intimate, she didn't think she could go that easily from one brother's arms to another without the change. Her heart was just starting to get back to normal again when Stefan spoke, his voice strained. _

"_What the hell happened between the two of you when you were away together?"_

* * *

Elena froze, completely losing the beat at the barely controlled anger in his voice. "Nothing." The denial slipped from her lips automatically even as she knew it was a lie. _No, not nothing_, she couldn't call it that, and Stefan didn't deserve to be lied to. "It's complicated," she allowed, leaning forward to let the curtain of hair hide her shame. Was she imagining it, or were people looking at them? At her. They must've seen her dancing with Damon like that. What had she been thinking?

"Complicated," he snorted. "Okay, I'm waiting." Giving up the pretense of dancing, Stefan stood before her, arms crossed over his chest.

"Do we have to do this right here?" Elena looked around. Whether it was real or imagined, she felt on display. "Why don't we go for a walk?" She tried to steer him off the dance floor.

"I think it's time to leave."

Elena's brows drew together into a single dark line as she looked around to see if Damon had disappeared, or if he was skulking around somewhere in the gym. "We can't just go. What about Caroline and Tyler?"

"We'll send the limo back for them, they'll never know we left." Picking up her elbow, he pulled her to the edge of the crowd and out into the cool night air before she could reply.

Maybe it was for the best? If she got things out in the open, maybe she could finally deal with some of those unresolved feelings for Damon. And maybe they would stop haunting her dreams at night. Elena fully expected Stefan to bring up the subject as soon as they were alone in the limo together, but he remained silent for the duration of the ride back to his place. It gave her a chance to figure out what she was going to say, only instead, her thoughts kept coming back to that dance. How could she feel so conflicted over a simple dance?

Once they got inside, Stefan immediately turned on her, his tone demanding. "Alright, we've got all the privacy you could ask for. Let's hear it now. Where did he take you?"

Elena nodded, moving past him, deeper into the house. "We went to the city at first, but Katherine found us pretty quickly."

"Yes, that part I know. What happened after that? You said something about camping?"

Casting her mind back, she thought of the run-down motel. "No, we did go camping, but first we stopped at a roadside motel, that's where Bonnie found us, did she tell you about that?" Stefan's frown told her the answer to that. "We were only there for one night before we moved on."

"He took you to a seedy motel? How was he planning on keeping you safe if Klaus caught up with you? Klaus could've snatched you away before Damon even noticed you were gone."

"Well, we stayed in the same room," she admitted.

"You... of course you did," he nodded. "Did you share a bed with him?"

"Nothing happened." He made it sound like something it wasn't. Sure Damon had ogled her whenever he had a chance and been a pain in the ass in general, but that was just his way. Nothing inappropriate had gone on. Stefan started to laugh, and Elena realized he hadn't been expecting her to say yes. "Stefan, it wasn't like that."

"I'm not so sure about that." His eyes narrowed. "In fact, I'm not so sure about anything right now. All this time, I've been thinking you were completely devastated, but that's not the reason you've been ignoring me since you got home, is it?"

"Ignoring you?" Elena gasped. "I haven't been ignoring you." How could she? He never left her alone long enough to forget he was there.

"The hell you haven't. I've been there day in and day out…"

"Yes, hovering. I can't turn around without you being right there. I can't breathe with you suffocating me all the time." Resentment crept into her voice before she could think twice about it.

"I'm suffocating you? I've been giving you a three feet cushion of space, scared to death you'll fall apart at any moment." Stefan's brows rose incredulously.

Scared she'd fall apart? Damon never treated her like she was falling apart. Usually he pushed her until she pushed back.

"You're thinking about him right now, aren't you?"

"What?" Elena flushed with guilt, was she that transparent?

"I can tell, your whole face changes whenever he's around," Stefan accused, staring at her until she felt so uncomfortable, she looked away.

"You're being ridiculous."

"Am I? What about what happened at the dance? Do you seriously expect me to believe there's nothing going on between the two of you?"

He had her there. Elena took a deep breath, trying not to let him rattle her more than she already was. "Stefan, like I said it's complicated, but it has nothing to do with how things are between the two of us." It was just a moment of weakness, wasn't it?

"I can't tell if you're lying to me or to yourself. How can you say you letting my brother feel you up had nothing to do with how things are between us?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry, okay? I admit, the dance was… inappropriate."

"What other inappropriate things happened between you?"

"We got closer while we were together." Close enough that the lines between friendship and something more had definitely blurred, but she wasn't sure how to say that to him.

"How much closer?"

He wasn't going to let it go, and she didn't like keeping secrets from him. Elena started with the one that she thought he might at least understand. "I… I had to give him some of my blood."

"You let him feed off of you?" Stefan's expression told her he felt anything but understanding about that tidbit of information, but she stood her ground, unashamed over that decision.

"He saved my life!" With jumbled words, she explained about the wild boar attack, but Stefan was already shaking his head.

"An animal that size wouldn't have killed him, Elena. He would've been fine. How could you let him manipulate you like that?"

"No, it wasn't like that. I had to practically beg him to take my blood."

"Elena," Stefan's voice turned condescending. "You're so naïve. He was playing you, pure and simple. Anything to forge that intimate bond with him. Let me guess, he tried to sleep with you then, maybe said he was caught up in the moment and couldn't help himself?" He laughed bitterly, and guilt flooded her at the memory of the kiss she'd shared with Damon. At catching her expression, the color drained from Stefan's already pale face. "Oh God, you didn't let him sleep with you, did you? Elena tell me you didn't."

"No." She looked up, her eyes heavy with blame. "But only because Damon stopped me. You're right, it was intimate, only I was the one who got caught up in the moment and he's the one with the will power who stopped it. I don't know what to say, Stefan, I'm so sorry." Unable to face him, she turned away, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes.

Instead of the condemnation she expected to find from him, Stefan wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, shh, it's not your fault," he soothed. "Whatever you were feeling, that's something he put there. Bonnie had your vervain necklace, right? It's not you, it's all Damon."

Elena pulled free of his embrace. "He didn't compel me, it wasn't like that." It might've been easier to let him think it was, but that would be a lie.

"So what are you saying? Are you saying you have feelings for my brother?"

Feelings. What an ambiguous word. She'd had _feelings_ for Damon for some time, she'd just assumed they were easy feelings like gratitude, exasperation and occasionally disgust. Lately she could admit to an attraction, but Elena had no idea if it ran any deeper than that. Sometimes, when he let down his guard, she thought she could feel more for Damon, but then he usually opened his mouth and said something obnoxious. "It's complicated," she said finally.

Stefan made no effort to disguise the pain that crossed his features as he let go of her, his words turning bitter. "I never thought you'd turn out to be like her."

He meant Katherine; it was like a slap in the face. "I'm not like her," Elena insisted. "She played the two of you off of each other for entertainment, that's not what happened at all. I care about both of you and yes, I have to deal with my feelings for Damon, whatever they are, but Stefan, I love you. I want to be with you." She refused to bounce back and forth between them. What she had with Stefan was real, wasn't it? She wasn't ready to turn her back on it.

Stefan didn't look so sure. "I can't do this right now. Every time I look at you, I can see his hands all over you." Catching up his keys, he strode to the front door.

"Stefan, wait, where are you going?"

"Out." Without a backwards glance, he was gone, and Elena sagged against the arm of the couch. What had she done?

* * *

"I'm sorry." Damon's voice drew her out of her reverie, and Elena spun around to face him.

"Damon… How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to know things aren't going very smoothly in the land of hearts and flowers." His smile was contrite. "I know I said I didn't care, but I'm sorry for screwing things up between you guys. He didn't deserve that."

"Yes, you're right, he definitely didn't deserve that." Elena closed her eyes against the ache of knowing she'd been the one to bring Stefan pain when all he'd done was love her. "But it's not all you, I was on the other half of that dance." Ah, the dance… would she ever live it down? Maybe it was time to have a real conversation about what was going on between them? Because she couldn't take being all mixed up inside, and she couldn't keep them bound to her in a sick triangle.

Elena stared at the door a last, lingering moment before turning to deal with Damon. "Damon, I know things have changed between us…" she began, but Damon interrupted with a raise of the hand.

"I'm gonna make this real easy on you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm leaving."

"Leaving… where are you going?" she blinked, not quite processing what he was saying.

"Away. What does it matter?"

The wall was up again, and she frowned in frustration at having to deal with obstinate Damon. "How can you say that? Of course it matters."

"Look, no matter how much I continue to delude myself over the idea that I have a real shot at you, you're in love with my brother. How many times do you have to say that to my face before I catch on, right? Hearing you say it to him just now, that finally got through to me. I'm nothing more than a distraction, an impulse you're ashamed of. I'm who you want when you're not thinking, Stefan is who you want at the end of the day. And I'm not into sharing this time. Trust me, it sucks."

"I wasn't proposing we share," Elena gasped.

"No, of course not, you don't have it in you."

His utter trust in that touched her, but then again, he wasn't the one she'd betrayed. "But you don't have to leave," she insisted, and his blue eyes sparked with anger.

"I'm trying to be the better man, isn't that what you wanted?"

"I did." It was what she asked for, and it would solve everything. With Damon gone, Stefan would settle down and she would definitely be less distracted. She could work on building a semi-normal life again. So why did it feel like her heart was breaking? "It feels like everything is ending," she whispered.

"That's life, Elena. Someone closes a door and another window opens, blah, blah, blah. I think Hallmark said it better, but I didn't have time to buy you a mushy card."

First one brother and now the other, she felt the need to keep at least one of them from hiding. "Damon, running away won't solve anything. Stay and sort this out with me."

"There's nothing to sort out. I finally see things clearly. It's not about winning you, it's not about wearing you down. It's about wanting the best for you, and I know you'll be happy with Stefan."

Would she? Elena wasn't so sure anymore. But neither did that mean her feelings for Stefan had completely fizzled out, she did love him. If only she could figure out if what she felt for Damon was real.

What she felt for Stefan was good and solid and dependable. He'd never made her feel dizzy with want from a single look, but then again, he'd never filled her with disgust either. She could count on him and he'd always, always be there for her. At one time she'd thought the same of Damon, but here he was getting ready to leave her. What was she supposed to do? Beg Damon to stay? And then what? She didn't have anything to offer him. Maybe it was for the best?

"Alright," she nodded. "If that's what you think is best."

Something flashed over his face, too fast for her to decipher it. Damon's eyes swept over her features, as if committing them to memory. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. You're tougher than you look," he smirked.

How did he know that about her when she didn't even know it about herself? Elena watched him shrug off the suit coat and tug on his black leather jacket, knowing all along that if she didn't say something, he'd really storm out that door and she might never see him again. Only… she didn't know what to say. He had a right to go seek his own happiness, and how selfish was it of her to expect him to stick around her when she couldn't give him what he wanted? "Take care of yourself," she mumbled numbly.

"Always," he grinned, pausing by the door with an almost wistful look, before the familiar hunger descended over his face and he shoved the keys in his pocket. "Ah, fuck it," he muttered, closing the distance between them, he swept her up in his arms, lips descending over hers in a kiss that stole her breath away.

On and on the kiss went, until Elena's heart thought it might burst. When he finally tore his lips away, he pressed his forehead to hers. "There, now you have something to remember me by," he whispered, and Elena felt her stomach drop as she realized he was still leaving.

"You don't have to do this." She looked up at him, tears welling for the second time that night.

"Yeah, I think I do, or I won't be able to let you go. Then I'll have to really try to kill Stefan this time and I don't think I could take the look in your eyes when I do. But before I go, there's something I need you to know, without compulsion, because I don't want you to forget this time. I love you, Elena. So much, that for once I'm gonna do the right thing and walk away."

Elena stared after him, too stunned to move, too stunned to speak, too stunned to breathe. By the time she sucked in a ragged breath to call him back he was already gone.

**A/N: Whew, what a lot of angst! Don't worry guys, this isn't it, I swear! I think Elena needed a little push to figure out what she feels for both brothers once and for all, don't you? What did you think about the argument with Stefan, and Damon's goodbye?**

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	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was sharing a dance with Damon…**

**I'm glad you guys liked the way the argument went down. I have a tendency to vilify Stefan in my fics, so I was really trying to keep him a bit more realistic and less over the top this time. **

_Something flashed over his features, too fast for her to decipher it. Damon's eyes swept over her features, as if he was committing them to memory. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. You're tougher than you look," he smirked. _

_How did he know that about her when she didn't even know it about herself? Elena watched him shrug off the suit coat and tug on his black leather jacket, knowing all along that if she didn't say something he would really walk out that door and she might never see him again. Only… she didn't know what to say. He had a right to go seek his own happiness and how selfish was it of her to expect him to stick around her when she couldn't give him what he wanted? "Take care of yourself," she mumbled numbly._

"_Always," he grinned, pausing by the door with an almost wistful look, before the familiar hunger descended over his face and he shoved the keys in his pocket. "Ah, fuck it," he muttered, closing the distance between them, he swept her up in his arms, lips descending over hers in a kiss that stole her breath away. On and on the kiss went, until Elena's heart thought it might burst. When he finally tore his lips away, he pressed his forehead to hers. "There, now you have something to remember me by," he whispered and Elena felt her stomach drop as she realized he was still leaving. _

"_You don't have to do this," she looked up at him, tears welling for the second time that night._

"_Yeah, I think I do, or I won't be able to let you go. Then I'll have to really try to kill Stefan this time and I don't think I could take the look in your eyes when I do. But before I go, there's something I need you to know, without compulsion, because I don't want you to forget this time. I love you, Elena. So much, that for once I'm gonna do the right thing and walk away."  
_

_Elena stared after him, too stunned to move, too stunned to speak, too stunned to breathe. By the time she sucked in a ragged breath to call him back he was already gone._

* * *

"Isn't it just like a Salvatore to run when things turn ugly?"

Elena spun around in surprise at hearing Elijah's voice. How many people were listening in to her? Would Katherine parade out next? "That was a private conversation," she frowned.

"Sorry, occupational hazard." Elijah had the grace to look contrite. "I live by trading information, and that was a very interesting tidbit. So tell me, Elena. Which is it to be? The elder or the younger brother?"

Elena's frown deepened. "I guess you weren't listening too closely. I'm in love with Stefan."

Elijah's brows rose a fraction. "Then why was it his brother you were clinging to for dear life, as if you couldn't breathe without him, not two minutes ago?"

He had her there. It was Damon she'd been kissing like there was no tomorrow, and Damon's absence that left a hole in her heart. Still, she couldn't quite bring herself to admit it, especially not to Elijah with that smug look on his face, as though he could read every thought in her head. "That was… I was saying goodbye."

"Remind me to say goodbye to you in person before I leave." His lips tilted up into a smile.

"Why _are_ you still here?" Elena snapped, prompting a shake of the head from him.

"And here I thought we were getting on so well. For a moment there I could have mistaken you for Katerina."

"I'm not Katherine!" Tears of frustration sprang to her eyes. It wasn't true. She couldn't be turning into Katherine, she'd give up both men before she let that happen to herself. "I'm not."

"She wasn't always like that, you know. Once…" His eyes grew distant, a faint smile curving his lips. "Once she was very much like you. Sweet and full of life, romance, and hope. It was my brother that set her on the path she's on now. So I suppose he is to blame for her actions, in a manner of speaking."

Elena began to read between the lines, recalling their talks of the past. "You cared for her, didn't you?"

Elijah's head tilted to one side. "It hardly matters now."

"Why not? You've been looking for her for so long. She's not in hiding anymore. Maybe you should talk to her?"

"That ship sailed a long time ago. Some things are not meant to be. Sometimes what you think of as a great, enduring love ends up nothing more than a painful memory, best forgotten."

There was a point in there for her, she was sure of it, only Elena hadn't quite decided how to take it yet. Which brother was destined to become little more than a painful memory?

"I've enjoyed our chats, Elena. I'm glad to have known you." His entire body took on an _I'm leaving_ cast. "You were certainly instrumental in my brother's downfall, for which I'm eternally grateful. If there is ever anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to let me know."

How odd that they'd ended up on the same side after everything. "I'm sorry we started off on the wrong foot, but I'm glad we met too. Thanks for all your help." Elena offered her hand, and Elijah bowed over it, kissing the air above the back of her hand.

Pausing by the front door, he turned back to her. "For what it's worth, love is the leap that won't be denied."

That was precisely what she felt like at the moment. As if she was at the edge of a precipice. Safe, solid Stefan behind her, ready to catch her in his solid embrace if she took a step backwards. Before her… the unknown. A leap that might end with her dashed upon the jagged rocks of heartbreak. Or, it might lead to the whirlwind of passion that was Damon's world. The question was, would the tumultuous passion leave her with something solid to stand upon once the whirlwind faded?

* * *

Tearing up the road at speeds no human could manage, Damon pushed the muscle car to its limits. The burst of speed fed his need for oblivion, the danger satisfying his destructive tendencies that grew in direct proportion to the distance he put between him and Elena.

What he needed right now was a drink, a willing vein, and a fuck. Not necessarily in that order and maybe even all at the same time. Without even thinking twice about it, Damon found himself in the parking lot of a bar. He'd been there before, whenever he craved something fresher than the basement fridge provided and was in the mood for a little sport and didn't feel like hearing Andie's constant chatter. Most of the time he enjoyed the thrill of the hunt, but that night there was little to tempt him.

Even when a dark-haired beauty did catch his eye, Damon could only muster the barest interest in her. Her eyes were bleary with drink, unlike a certain dark gaze that haunted him every time he closed his eyes. Her hair, while long and lustrous, was heavy with product, unlike the chestnut tresses his fingers itched to touch, soft as sin. Her throat, while smooth and slender, lacked the graceful arch of another, making his mouth water at the memory of tasting that pure offering and everything that went with it.

_Ugh,_ was he doomed to compare every woman to Elena for the rest of his life? He had to put her out of his mind. The trouble was, he couldn't imagine what the rest of his life would be like without her in it.

Redirecting his focus on the woman, it was far too easy, he didn't even have to compel her. All it took was a lazy smirk and she was practically peeling her panties off on the dance floor. So there he was in the parking lot, with her pressed up against the side of his car, turning his face away from her questing mouth. Fingers wrapping around her dark hair, he tugged her head to one side, exposing the smooth column of her throat.

There it was, the throb of her pulse, quickening at the rough care. This one wouldn't squawk if he got rough with her, hell, she'd probably enjoy it. So why didn't he sink his teeth into her throat and take what he wanted? Damon's face darkened, fangs descending as he forced his face into her neck, teeth scraping across her skin, but not breaking it.

All he could think was that this was wrong. She smelled wrong, felt wrong, tasted wrong. _God damn it, she'd practically neutered him!_ "Get out of here," he barked, shoving her aside, not even bothering to smooth any of it over with a compulsion. Barely waiting for her to lurch out of the way, he drove off into the darkness, his mood as black as the night.

Sometime after midnight he ended up at Elena's house, tossing pebbles up at her bedroom window. If he'd stopped to think about it, he would probably realize she was curled up asleep at the boarding house, but his drink addled brain wasn't thinking things through. "Elena, Elena, throw down your golden hair… wait, that's not right," he blinked, taking another swig from the bottle tucked into the crook of his arm. Winging another pebble at the window, he winced as it shattered. "Oops. My bad," he called up to the darkened window.

The lights snapped on inside, and Alaric's head stuck out the broken pane, his hair disheveled and eyes bleary. "What the hell… Damon, is that you?"

"In the flesh." Damon bowed at the waist, a foolish grin on his lips as he accidentally spilled the bottle. It wasn't the first bottle of the night.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling to my lady faire, which… you are a lot hairier than I seem to remember," he chuckled to himself.

"Hold on a second, I'll be right down." But it was easily ten minutes before he opened the front door, bare chest illuminated by the porch light. "Are you still out there?"

"It's about time, I was about to throw another pebble as a reminder."

"Yeah well, Jenna was about to call the police, I had to convince her I could take care of this on my own."

"That's why they pay you the big bucks." Damon clapped him on the shoulder, striding past him into the house. "Elena?" he bellowed from the bottom of the stairs.

"Shh! What are you trying to do, wake up the whole neighborhood? She's not here," Ric hissed, shutting the front door after him. "I thought she was at your place."

Details he'd been trying to forget rushed back to him and Damon frowned, taking another drink from the bottle. "Right, so she is. Sorry, man." He turned to go, but Alaric caught him by the shoulder.

"Why don't you come and sit down before you fall down. I'll make you some coffee and you can tell me what's going on."

"Aw, are we gonna have an international foods coffee moment where we celebrate the moments of our life?" Damon fluttered his eyelashes. "Thanks, but I'll pass."

"Seriously, what are you doing here in the middle of the night and what does it have to do with Elena?"

Damon's mouth opened, a smart-ass remark on the tip of his tongue, but it snapped closed again without saying anything, his shoulders falling an inch or two. "I fucked up."

"It must be Thursday," Alaric smirked back, but his expression changed when Damon simply absorbed it without firing an insult back. "Come on, I'll go make that coffee."

* * *

"What is he doing here?"

"Jenna, it'll be alright. Trust me, we're doing a community service not to turn him out in the condition he's in."

"Alright but he's not spending the rest of the night here."

"I'll take care of it."

Damon sat at the kitchen table, listening to Alaric send Jenna up to bed with a kiss and a pat on the head. "Look at you, Ricky, you've got her in the palm of your hand," he approved with a tilt of the bottle.

Alaric plucked the bottle out of Damon's fingers, taking a swig before setting it on the counter, well out of his reach. "You don't know Jenna very well. I figure you've got a half hour tops before she comes back down here with a shotgun. So tell me, what did you screw up so badly?"

The smile slipped from his face and Damon buried his face in his hands. "I fell in love with Elena," he mumbled from between his fingers.

"And?"

His head came up, a disgruntled look on his face. "What do you mean _and_? Isn't that bad enough? First with Katherine and now Elena." The look of shock on Elena's face when he'd told her… that was one he wouldn't soon forget.

"I meant it's not like it's a big surprise or anything. You've been in love with her for a while now, haven't you?"

Damon frowned at that. "I didn't think it was common knowledge." Though it might be after the dance in the gym. He hadn't given much thought about it at the time, too caught up in the feel of her in his arms.

"Don't worry, I'm sure most people figured it was an emotion that originated somewhat south of your heart for the most part," Ric chuckled. "But why the meltdown tonight? You didn't…"

"What? Try and take out the competition? Hey, it's not that I didn't think about it." Damon almost wished he could challenge Stefan to a duel, winner takes Elena. But no matter if he won or lost, he'd end up losing her forever.

Alaric shook his head, dismissing that thought. "No, despite the things that come out of your mouth, I'm fairly certain you wouldn't do that. So what did you do?"

"I told her I loved her, and I left." A broken sigh left his lips. "I told her I was gonna be the better man and let her live out her happy life with Stefan. Can you believe it?"

"How much did you have to drink beforehand?"

"No, the drinking started afterward, when I realized she's ruined me for other women," Damon laughed bitterly. "Damon Salvatore, big bad vampire… reduced to drinking out of blood bags. Next thing you know I'll be hunting bunnies." He blanched.

"What made you come here then?"

Frustration spilled over as he tried to articulate the utterly lost and confused state he was in. "I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to watch her be with Stefan and I don't know how to deal with knowing I'll never see her again."

Alaric nodded pensively. "Maybe a change of scenery is in order? A little distance to give you some perspective?"

"That might not be a bad idea, it beats the hell out of sticking around here and ending up in freaking therapy," he snorted.

"I'll tell you what, I have this cabin in the woods, it's been in my family for ages. You're more than welcome to use it for as long as you want. Take some time, get your head together."

Damon stood, restlessly pacing the length of the kitchen, already starting to sober. "I dunno, I was thinking more along the lines of Atlantic City or Vegas." The more he thought about it, the better it sounded. "What do you say, are you in?"

Alaric's brows came up in surprise. "You mean take off, just like that?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Well, because I have the rest of the school year to finish out."

"Blow it off for a few days. I'll write you a doctor's note, it'll be fine," Damon snorted, unconcerned with his reasons. Suddenly having company sounded a hell of a lot better than going all by himself. Crap, when had that happened?

"No, I'm not going to blow off my job. We're almost to finals, there's a lot of preparation that goes into that, I can't take off like that."

"Boy, she's got you on a short leash." A shake of the head was given and Damon looked up in the direction of the bedroom where Jenna waited.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ric's brows drew together.

Damon let out a long sigh, wishing for the bottle of scotch again. "Nothing. You have a life, I get it. I'm envious, man."

"Thanks," Alaric smiled, and Damon's face darkened at seeing his expression.

"If you ever tell anyone I envied anything about your life even for a moment, I'll break every bone in your body," he muttered.

"I still have my ring," Ric grinned.

"Exactly, so it'll take a while to do it right," Damon smirked right back at him.

Ric winced in mock pain, but there was no fear behind his eyes. "Your secret is safe with me. Seriously though, I think the cabin might be right up your alley. Better than jumping into Atlantic City in the frame of mind you're in."

Damon considered it for a moment. Ric was right, he wasn't fit for company and the way he felt, he wasn't sure he ever would be. "Yeah, okay, maybe," he allowed. "So where is this rustic retreat?"

**A/N: I couldn't forget about Elijah! He'll make another appearance before this one is over too. Katherine's still out there somewhere too… You guys still with me?**

**Feedback is Love**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was chasing after Damon…**

_Damon stood, restlessly pacing the length of the kitchen, already starting to sober. "I dunno, I was thinking more along the lines of Atlantic city or Vegas." The more he thought about it, the better it sounded. "What do you say, are you in?"_

_Alaric's brows came up in surprise. "What, take off, just like that?"_

"_Yeah, why not?"_

"_Well, because I have the rest of the school year to finish out."_

"_Blow it off for a few days, I'll write you a doctor's note, it'll be fine," Damon snorted, unconcerned with his reasons. Suddenly having company sounded a helluva lot better than going all by himself. Crap, when had that happened? _

"_No, I'm not going to blow off my job. We're almost to finals, there's a lot of preparation that goes into that, I can't just take off like that."_

"_Boy, she's got you on a short leash." A shake of the head was given and Damon looked up in the direction of the bedroom where Jenna waited._

"_What's that supposed to mean?" Ric's brows drew together._

_Damon let out a long sigh, wishing for the bottle of scotch again. "Nothing. You have a life, I get it. I'm envious, man."_

"_Thanks," Alaric smiled and Damon's face darkened at seeing his expression._

"_If you ever tell anyone I envied anything about your life even for a moment, I'll break every bone in your body," he muttered._

"_I still have my ring," Ric grinned._

"_Exactly, so it'll take a while to do it right," Damon smirked right back at him. _

_Ric winced in mock pain, but there was no fear behind his eyes. "Your secret is safe with me. Seriously though, I think the cabin might be right up your alley. Better than jumping into Atlantic City in the frame of mind you're in."_

_Damon considered it for a moment. Ric was right, he wasn't fit for company and the way he felt, he wasn't sure he ever would be. "Yeah, okay, maybe," he allowed. "So where is this rustic retreat?"_

* * *

After a fitful night's sleep, Elena didn't feel right about staying at the boarding house any longer. Even though technically it was hers, without Stefan or Damon there, it felt… wrong somehow. Well that, and the last thing she wanted to do was run into Katherine over breakfast. Not that she'd seen any sign of her since the big showdown with Klaus. Maybe now that she was free, she'd taken off for parts unknown? More likely, she was out raising hell since neither Salvatore brother was at home to torment.

It was nice to be back in familiar surroundings, even if there were a ton of memories at the Gilbert residence too. Luckily, Caroline was more than eager for a bit of girl time and came over to keep her company before the night got too lonely. All it had taken was a single text and the pretty blonde arrived with junk food in one hand and a stack of chick flicks in the other.

"Thanks for coming over tonight, Care." Elena greeted her with a hug.

"We haven't had a girls' night in for a long time, I've missed it." Caroline returned the hug fiercely, her eyes misty as she pulled back, and Elena caught onto her mood right away without having to say it out loud.

They both missed Bonnie.

Then again, Bonnie would hardly be a sympathetic ear for her trouble with vampires. But that was a terrible thing to think of, and Elena pushed it from her thoughts. Caroline, while surprised to hear how close she'd grown to Damon, offered no judgment, listening until Elena felt all talked out. Still no closer to knowing how to deal with it all, she decided to focus on something besides her own drama for a while.

"Tell me, how things are going with you and Tyler?" Elena hit upon the magic word, and for the next half hour Caroline gushed over how great things were going between them while they changed into pajamas and started up the movies and snacks. "So, you're really okay with the whole werewolf/vampire thing? I mean, isn't it dangerous?" Elena asked gently, not wanting to rain on her parade, but she didn't want her friend to get hurt either.

"It's only dangerous when he's wolfed out, and he's really, really careful about locking himself up now. You should see the chains we bought, the guy at the hardware store looked like he was gonna bust something when Tyler told him he was setting up a BDSM playroom," she giggled, and Elena laughed with her.

"Are you sure though? What if he accidentally bites you in human form?"

"Elena please, he's not into biting, that's strictly a vamp thing." Her blonde curls bounced as she reached for a bag of pretzels.

"Hey, I think it's great that the two of you have connected. I'm just worried about you. His temper has never been great to begin with, I can only imagine it gets worse around the full moon."

"So he's a little tough to take once a month, I can totally relate." Caroline waved away Elena's concerns, and she had to trust that her friend knew what she was getting into.

Jenna appeared at the top of the stairs, basket of dirty laundry in hand. "What's this? Pajamas, slippers, and ice cream? Uh oh, who got dumped?" Setting the chore aside, she joined the girls.

"It wasn't me." Caroline looked almost offended by the idea, bringing a smile to Elena's lips.

"Technically… no one yet. I, um… am having trouble sorting out my feelings for a certain Salvatore," Elena admitted.

"I thought things were going well with you and Stefan?" Jenna's brow puckered with confusion.

"They were, mostly. But that's not actually who I was talking about." Elena had no idea how Jenna would take the news, she'd never been much of a fan of Damon's.

"Oh? Oh." Realization dawned upon her and Jenna nodded knowingly. "Believe it or not, I have a ton of experience in these matters."

"Torn between two lovers, living like a fool?" Caroline grinned.

"Uh, something like that. More along the lines of bad boys. Used to be I couldn't stay away from them. They're totally my kryptonite, so I can see the appeal."

Elena nodded, she'd heard some of the stories before from Jenna's _learn from my mistakes_ lecture number four. But that didn't feel like the same kind of thing at all compared to her situation. "Okay, but it's more than that, Damon isn't just a bad boy, he's come through for me over and over again."

"That doesn't take away from the things he's done in the past though, Elena. Remember what he did to me?" Caroline reminded her.

It was hard to forget, she'd seen the bite marks all over Caroline's body. "I know, I'm not saying he's an angel, but there's good in him too."

"But Stefan's all the way good," Caroline insisted, and Elena could hardly blame her, given their past. "Stefan was really there for me after I got all fangy. If it wasn't for him, I'd have wound up a monster or staked by now."

"Talk about kiss of death," Jenna smirked, leading to a surprised look from Elena. "What? I'm just saying, been there, done that. The good guys do mostly finish last, only because the bad boys are so much more exciting!" she grinned.

"What about Mr. Saltzman? He's a good guy," Caroline asked.

"Yeah, but vampire hunter. That totally counteracts the school teacher thing," Jenna grinned back.

Elena's brows drew together, puckering her forehead. "You sound like you want me to pick Damon."

"I'm not saying you should pick anyone. I'm saying you should listen to your heart, and go with what it tells you, not what you feel obligated to choose."

Obligation. Did she feel obligated to love Stefan? Sometimes she wondered how much of her feelings revolved around gratitude and how much stemmed from actual love. But then again, she was grateful to Damon for his help too, but it didn't feel the same way at all. "Listen to my heart," Elena sighed. "What if it's telling me two different things?"

"Here, I have an idea." Jenna pulled her hair back over her shoulders as she sat down more comfortably. "Let's play a game. I'll ask you a series of questions, and you answer as fast as you can, without stopping to think about your answer. Ready?"

"Uh, sure," Elena nodded, darting a quick look to Caroline, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay, here we go. Dog or cat?"

"Dog."

"Sun or moon?"

"Moon."

"Fries or onion rings?"

"Fries."

"Paper or plastic?"

"Plastic."

"Walking or swimming?"

"Swimming."

"Who do you love?"

"Damon."

"Holy crap!" Caroline almost choked on the mouthful of popcorn she'd been munching on.

Elena could only stare back at the pair, her eyes stretching wide. "I love Damon?"

"Apparently you do," Jenna grinned. "Works every time."

"I love Damon," Elena repeated, a little stronger this time. It sounded strange coming from her lips, but saying it aloud, she knew it was true. She loved him. As screwed up as that was, and as much as it complicated things, she couldn't ignore it any longer. "Oh God… what do I do now?"

"I thought we already had _that_ talk," Jenna pretended to consider. "But I'm game to do it again. When a girl starts to mature into the flower of womanhood…"

"Ha, ha, very funny." Elena gave Jenna's shoulder a shove. "I'm completely serious. I have no idea how to handle this."

"I think you should probably talk to him, figure out what to do together," Caroline suggested.

"He's already gone." It hit her harder now than when he'd left her. She'd been too stunned over his admission of love to feel much more than shock. But now, the idea that he might really be gone forever, it was enough to make her feel sick to her stomach.

Caroline wasn't buying it though. "Gone, gone? Oh please, like he wouldn't pick up the phone if you called him," she snorted.

"I don't know, you didn't see his face. He was trying to make a clean break, it was hurting him too much to be around me when I was with Stefan. Oh God, Stefan! I can't go chasing off after Damon when I'm still with Stefan." What the hell was she thinking? Elena felt another flutter of panic but Caroline reached out to cover her hand.

"Stefan will keep, Damon's the one who might do something crazy insane in the meantime. You should probably go see him first."

That didn't make Elena feel any better. "What does that say about me that I want to be with someone who is crazy insane?"

"What does it say about me as a guardian that I'm encouraging you to do any of this?" Jenna muttered, pushing up to her feet. "Well, when you figure out what you want to do, let me know. I might know where Damon is."

"You what?" Elena was up like a shot. "How would you know where he is?"

"Oh… because I overheard Ric talking to him about staying at his family's cabin out in the woods."

"Damon was here? When?" It seemed strange to her that he'd stopped by to see Ric at her place. But then again, that was where the teacher was spending more and more of his time.

"Yes, he showed up here in the middle of the night looking for you. Didn't you notice we had your window replaced?" Jenna wrote down the address and directions as best she remembered it from what Ric had given Damon the night before.

Elena wasn't about to ask why her broken window equated a visit with Damon, she could probably guess what had happened. "How was he, did he seem upset to you?"

"It was kind of hard to tell through the drunken stupor but yes, I'd say he was pretty upset."

It figured he'd turn to alcohol to cope, he always did. Elena turned to Caroline, a guilty look on her face. "Caroline…"

"Go ahead, we can have our girls' night in some other time. Something tells me you need to find Damon a lot more than I need to watch _Pretty in Pink_," she smiled.

"This is so strange, but I think I do. Thanks, you guys. Wish me luck!" Without stopping to change clothes or find a jacket, Elena scooped up her keys and the address, hurrying out into the cool night air.

"You have _Pretty in Pink_?" Jenna turned to Caroline with interest, reaching for the ice cream.

* * *

_It's okay to love them both._

Katherine's words echoed through Elena's mind as she followed the turn by turn directions on the car's GPS. Was it really okay to love them both? It felt horribly wrong to have feelings for both brothers, and she knew she had to make a choice. But first things first, she had to keep Damon from running away and doing something crazy. As she approached the cabin, she couldn't help the unreasoning panic over the thought that he might not actually be there. What if he hadn't come to the cabin after all? How would she find him? Somehow she didn't think it would be as simple as calling him up as Caroline suggested.

But as the cabin came into sight, there was his car in the driveway, and there was a dim, flickering light showing through the drawn curtains in the windows. Without bothering to knock, Elena threw open the door, more relieved than she could say to see Damon sprawled across the end of the couch, the only light in the room from the flickering fire in the hearth. "Oh, thank God you're here," she breathed, closing the door behind her.

"Nice PJ's. Ric spilled the beans, huh?" Damon made no effort to move except to bring the bottle to his lips and take another drink.

"No, actually Jenna told me where you were." It was a cozy cabin really, warm and snug with enough of the comforts of home not to be roughing it, but rustic enough to feel like you were in the middle of nowhere. Immediately she was reminded of their camping trip and wondered how cozy the cabin would be for two.

"So what's wrong now?"

"What?" Elena blinked, tearing herself out of the daydream she'd started to wander through.

"What's wrong? Did Elijah renege on his word? Let me guess, you need me to come back and kick some ass."

"No, he's fine."

"Katherine giving you a hard time?"

"No…"

"Klaus is back from the dead and haunting your dreams?"

She was still in that panicky state, afraid he'd bolt at any moment before she had a chance to do this. Did she still want to do this? It wasn't too late to turn around and go back home. Back to the safety and predictability of her relationship with Stefan. She could smooth things over with him, she was sure of it. But the words came back to her from Jenna's game, that visceral response. She loved Damon. There was no denying it.

Elena's temper boiled over when he kept cutting her off. "If you'd shut up for two seconds I'll tell you why I'm here!"

It was Damon's turn to blink at her outburst. "I'm all ears. Go ahead."

She'd rehearsed what she would say over and over in her head on the way over. That they needed to talk things through, sort out how to resolve the feelings she had for both brothers, ask for his patience. But as she opened her mouth, the words tumbled out, "I love you."

"What?" Damon stared at her blankly before shaking his head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry, I thought you said…"

"I said, I love you." Elena's voice was stronger this time, though her stomach felt like it was full of baby birds fighting over the same worm. She moistened her lips when he continued to stare at her, beginning her explanation. "I know it's crazy and…" The rest of her words were muffled as Damon flew across the room like a shot, pinning her against the wall and covering her mouth with his.

After an initial murmur of surprise, Elena surrendered to his kiss, tasting the scotch on his tongue, warm and mellow, but there was nothing drunken in the way he kissed her. The scorching kiss filled her senses, and Elena felt her own desire surging up to tangle with his, heart thudding wildly as gave herself over to the moment for once.

She loved Damon.

Even though she'd been saying the words in her head since playing Jenna's silly game, those were words with little meaning compared to the wealth of emotion that spilled forth from his touch. It went beyond lust, beyond want, beyond need, she wanted to be a part of him the way he'd wormed his way into her heart and become a part of her. Deep down she knew she wouldn't be able to walk away from this, to walk away from him. But in the corner of her mind, the guilt lay there like a prickly thorn, growing in irritation until she pulled her mouth away.

"Wait… wait…" she gasped, struggling to catch her breath.

Damon immediately pulled back, searching her face carefully. "What is it? Did I hurt you?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Good." Satisfied, Damon kissed alongside her jaw, eager to return to what they'd been doing, and it was difficult for Elena to find the strength to speak again.

"Wait, we need to talk."

"Later."

"It's important," she insisted.

"I don't care, I don't want to waste any more time." Damon delivered another drugging kiss, nearly derailing her train of thought. "And I know you're tired of waiting too or you wouldn't have chased me down." The corner of his mouth tugged up into a self-satisfied smile.

"It's not that simple," Elena murmured, head falling back to give him better access, despite her best intentions.

"Yes it is. I love you, you love me…" His hands dipped lower, and Elena gasped at the bloom of pleasure that simple movement produced. With supreme effort, she pulled back, grabbing hold of his hair and tugging his gaze up to meet hers.

"Damon, please…"

His eyes narrowed as he cast off the haze of desire. "Don't you dare say his name," he growled, his body tensing.

Elena took a deep breath. "If you want me to say my feelings for him are gone just like that, they're not." She didn't want to hurt him, but the situation wasn't going to go away if they ignored it, and she couldn't bring herself to be with him the way she wanted to while she was still tied to Stefan.

"You said you loved me." Damon's voice was tightly controlled, and Elena reached up to stroke the side of his face gently.

"I do love you, Damon. But I won't be Katherine. I won't do that to any of us."

"Katherine never loved me," he snorted, letting go of her, and Elena immediately regretted his withdrawal. But wasn't that what she was asking for?

"I think she did in her own way. She said as much to me once. She said it was okay to love you both. But like you said, sharing sucks and I won't do that. I want more."

"That's what I'm trying to give you, more." His lazy smile returned as he reached out to stroke the bare strip of skin between her top and pajama pants, and a shiver went through her.

"Please, give me some time to figure things out. I'm barely getting used to the idea of more, with you. I need to wrap my head around it and my head feels like it's about to fly apart." Silently she willed him to give her that time, to do things right.

For a long moment she thought he would retreat behind his walls or press her for more. But then he gave a long-suffering sigh, reaching up to push a tendril of hair behind her ear. "That's one thing a vampire has an abundance of. Time," he smiled faintly.

Elena's eyes closed in relief and she turned to press a kiss to the palm of his hand. "I just need to talk to him. Promise me you won't go anywhere until I call you?"

"You know where I'll be." Damon sprawled on the couch again, frowning over his bottle that tipped over on its side in his haste to reach her earlier.

"Bye." Elena turned to go, disappointed he hadn't even tried for a goodbye kiss. What was wrong with her? With one hand she was pushing him away and the other she was upset when he didn't try and take more than she was comfortable giving. She chided herself all the way to the car, refusing to stop and look over her shoulder to see if he was watching her.

As if reading her mind, in the blink of an eye, Damon had her pressed against the side of the car, pinning her with his body. "Did you think I'd let you leave without giving you something to think about?" His slow smile promised a world of delights for her contemplation.

Damon leaned in close, his lips dragging against the smooth column of her throat in the barest of touches. His tongue laved once over the throb of her pulse that raced to meet him, anticipation thrumming through her entire body as she waited for the sting. Instead, he continued his lazy exploration, lips brushing against her skin in the ghost of a touch before they brushed against the shell of her ear. "Don't take too long, Elena. I won't wait forever."

And then he was gone, leaving her standing in the cool night air, aching with need. Damn him anyway, that was not playing fair. But then again, had she really expected him to? Letting out a shaky breath, Elena climbed into the car. Pulling out her phone, she sent a text to Stefan. _I need to see you, please come to the house_.

**A/N: Okay before you get mad about bringing Stefan back into the mix, I just couldn't erase him from Elena's heart like he'd never existed. I think part of her will always love him. But at least she acknowledges now that she has real feelings for Damon. Besides, if I have her jump into Damon's arms without any questions the story is over. You don't want the story to be over yet, do you? **

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	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was chasing after Damon…**

**I'm glad you guys were on board with Elena's admission of love and not forgetting that Stefan ever existed. Besides, this way we get some interesting repercussions…**

"_Just please… give me some time to figure things out. I'm barely getting used to the idea of more, with you. I need to wrap my head around it and my head feels like it's about to fly apart." Silently she willed him to give her that time, to do things right. _

_For a long moment she thought he would retreat behind his walls or press her for more. But then he gave a long suffering sigh, reaching up to push a tendril of hair behind her ear. "That's one thing a vampire has an abundance of. Time," he smiled faintly._

_Elena's eyes closed in relief and she turned to press a kiss to the palm of his hand. "I just need to talk to him. Promise me you won't go anywhere until I call you?"_

"_You know where I'll be." Damon sprawled on the couch again, frowning over his bottle that was tipped over on its side in his haste to reach her earlier. _

"_Bye." Elena turned to go, a little disappointed that he hadn't even tried for a goodbye kiss. What was wrong with her? With one hand she was pushing him away and the other she was upset when he didn't try and take more than she was comfortable giving him. She chided herself all the way to the car, refusing to stop and look over her shoulder to see if he was watching her. _

_As if he was reading her mind, in the blink of an eye Damon had her pressed against the side of the car, pinning her with his body. "Did you think I would let you leave without giving you something to think about?" His slow smile promised a world of delights for her contemplation. Damon leaned in close, his lips dragging against the smooth column of her throat in the barest of touches. His tongue laved once over the throb of her pulse that raced to meet him, anticipation thrumming through her entire body as she waited for the sting. Instead, he continued his lazy exploration, lips brushing against her skin in the ghost of a touch before they brushed against the shell of her ear. "Don't take too long, Elena. I won't wait forever." _

_And then he was gone, leaving her standing in the cool night air, aching with need. Damn him anyway, that was not playing fair... But then again, had she really expected him to? Letting out a shaky breath, Elena climbed into the car. Pulling out her phone, she sent a text to Stefan. *I need to see you, please come to the house.*_

* * *

Elena paced in front of the fire, nervous as hell as she waited for Stefan to arrive. Again, she rehearsed the words over and over in her mind, planning out what she'd say, what he might respond, and how she'd react to it. Would he accept it calmly? Would he lose his temper? She couldn't bring herself to think he might actually hurt her, no matter how upset he was, but that didn't make her feel any better about the upcoming conversation.

Suddenly, he appeared at the door, and her stomach clenched into a ball of worry. God, this was going to be one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. "Thanks for coming." She greeted him with a faint smile, feeling odd about receiving him in his own home. No matter what the name on the deed said, she wasn't sure she could think of it as her home now.

Stefan returned her smile with a grave one of his own, picking up her hands as he joined her on the couch. "I'm so glad you called me over here, I shouldn't have left like I did the other day."

That… wasn't what she'd been expecting him to say. "It's okay, I understand completely, you needed some space. It gave me some time to think too and…"

Stefan interrupted her with a shake of the head. "No, it was wrong of me to lose my temper and take things out on you like that. Can you forgive me?"

"Can I forgive you?" He sure wasn't making this very easy. "Stefan, there's nothing to forgive," she began, but Stefan seemed bent on not letting her talk.

"Good, I know we can work through this." He gave her hands a squeeze. "I know you've been through a lot lately, and you're not thinking clearly."

"I'm seeing things crystal clear," Elena insisted.

"And it's natural for you to be tempted by someone like Damon. He's got years and years of manipulating people under his belt." Stefan squeezed her hands again, and she pulled them from his grasp.

"It wasn't like that."

"I'm not blaming you." He reached for her hands again, but she kept them out of reach.

"But you clearly think I'm addle-minded enough to let myself be swayed by a few pretty words and a sexy smile," she frowned, and he gave her a condescending smile.

"You don't understand, Elena. I'm saying it's okay, it's not your fault." Stefan looked as though he thought he was making a grand gesture on her behalf.

_He wasn't getting it._

"The important thing is that we find our way back to each other and put Damon out of our minds. We needed him to help defeat Klaus, but now that you're safe, there's no need to keep him around anymore. If we ignore him, he'll lose interest and move on."

Was that what he really thought? It was a colder, more callous side to Stefan she saw here and she couldn't let him go on any longer. Clearly he wasn't getting where she was going with this, she had to rip the band-aid off in one swift motion. "I'm in love with Damon," Elena blurted out.

He blinked, as if he didn't understand the words coming out of her mouth. "What?"

"I love him," she repeated more gently. "And it's not lust or gratitude, or…"

"You don't know what you're saying, you're upset," he interrupted with a little laugh, and it pricked at Elena's temper.

"Stop telling me what I'm feeling or thinking. I know exactly what I'm saying, and who I'm saying it about. Do you think I don't get that it's _Damon_ I'm in love with? What the implications are? I know exactly what it means and how dangerous it is to risk loving him, but I can't help what I feel."

"He's managed to fool you into thinking that he cares, but trust me, Elena. I know him so much better than you do," he insisted, but Elena stilled him with a hand.

"I don't think you know your brother at all." Her head tilted to one side as she studied him. "And I'm starting to think I don't know you as well as I thought I did. We don't need Damon anymore so we should cut him out of our lives? How could you use him like that?"

Stefan's face darkened at the accusation. "You used him too. You knew you were in love with me and you kept him dangling along like a dog on a leash to keep you safe. You were willing to risk his life to keep you safe from Klaus."

"How can you say that to me?" Elena gasped. "I _never_ wanted anyone to get hurt, not you, or Damon, not anyone. I was willing to risk my own life, remember? I'm the one who made the deal with Elijah, and I knew exactly what I risked and who I risked it for. You're the one who's talking about tossing Damon away like he's garbage now that the danger is over. He's your brother, how can you treat him like that?"

"You don't know him like I…"

"Save it." She turned away. "I know exactly what he's capable of, both good and bad. Don't pretend like your past isn't littered with bodies, you're capable of both as well. Your willingness to sacrifice anyone, including Damon and Bonnie to keep me safe isn't right, Stefan. And it's not wanted or needed."

Stefan fixed her with a tortured look. "He'll never love you the way I love you."

"I know, and that's a good thing," she insisted gently, trying to make him see how unbalanced things were between them. "What you feel for me, it's not love… it's bordering on obsession. I can't be the damsel in distress for you to play the hero to all the time. It's not normal."

"I did what I needed to do to protect you."

"It's not about protecting me from every little thing, it's about being there to catch me if I fall. I have to learn how to stand on my own two feet."

"You'll get hurt that way," he frowned, disturbed by the notion.

"But I can take it. I'm stronger than I look." It had taken Damon to point that out to her, but she knew it was true. She had to be given the chance to take a few risks every now and again.

"I can do that. I can try to be what you what me to be."

Elena shook her head sadly. "It's not about what I want you to be Stefan, it's about who you are and what I need. I can't help but feel like Damon loves me, the real me, in a way you can't understand."

"He'll hurt you."

"Maybe. But that's what life is about. It's not worth living without the risk, that's what makes the love that much more special." It wasn't that she was calling him boring exactly, but there was no spark in what she felt for him anymore.

"Say that again after you've had to watch someone you love die," he bit out, and Elena met his gaze without flinching.

"I might not have lived as long as you have, but I've lost enough people in my life to know what I'm talking about." Her parents, real and adopted, Vicki, Anna, Bonnie… the list seemed to grow longer each year. It taught her that life was short and not to be wasted.

"If it was anyone else, anyone but Damon." Stefan's head hung low, and her heart twisted at the pain she was causing him.

"I didn't mean for it to happen, but I'm not sorry it did. I don't expect you to be happy for us, but I needed you to know as soon as I figured it out for myself," she said gently.

Stefan brooded in silence for a few moments before he nodded slowly, his head coming up again to meet her gaze. "I won't lie to you, I'm not happy about your decision, but I do want you to be happy. I just can't help but think he'll end up causing you more pain than happiness. If he ever hurts you…"

"Then I'll deal with it. I don't need you waiting in the wings, ready to ride to the rescue any time we have a fight." Because she was sure there would be fights. With some of the things that came out of Damon's mouth it would be impossible to expect otherwise, but Elena realized she enjoyed that verbal sparring. It kept her on her toes and nothing felt better than beating him at his own game sometimes.

"This is goodbye then?" he blinked, and Elena felt a little stunned at the finality of it. It was true though, she was saying goodbye to him in a way. She would give him her friendship, but something told her it wouldn't be enough for him.

"It doesn't have to be. This is an end to our relationship as it stands, but it doesn't mean we have to never see each other again. It's a cliché, but I would like us to still be friends."

Stefan reached up to brush his fingers across her soft cheek. "Elena, I will always love you, that will never change. If you ever decide you want something more…"

Her hand closed over his. "Stefan, part of me will always love you too. You were my first real love and nothing will ever change that." Stefan leaned forward to brush the lightest of kisses over her lips, and she felt his goodbye in that touch. Tears gathered to spill from the corner of her eyes as she threw her arms around his neck and felt him pull her close for a final embrace.

* * *

She loved him.

It was enough to make him get rid of the bottle. Inordinately pleased, Damon found it hard to sit cooped up at the cabin with such news. Practically vibrating with nervous energy, he was going out of his mind pacing the length of the small room. What he wanted most of all was to see her, convince her what she had to already feel in her heart. She belonged with him.

How the hell was he supposed to sit still and give her the space she'd asked for? Worse still, what if she decided to pick Stefan over him? Could he really accept that after getting a taste of her love? Did he have it in him to be the better man and step aside again?

What the hell was he acting like a whiny little bitch for? Damon knew what he had to do.

Now that he knew she cared, he didn't intend to fight fair. Hell, he'd do everything in his power to make her his, now that he knew he had a fighting chance. Convinced in the beauty of his plan, Damon set out at top speed, pushing the muscle car as fast as it could manage on the rural roads. Not quite sure if she'd be at the boarding house or the Gilbert place, he decided to start off at the Salvatore's. Even if Elena wasn't there, it couldn't hurt to stop and change into something sexier than the jeans and t-shirt he'd been wearing while roughing it in the sticks. He'd use every weapon at his disposal.

The sight of Elena's car made the space where his heart used to beat clench almost painfully in anticipation, knowing he'd have her in his arms in just a few seconds. Damon approached the house with a spring in his step, lips curved into a lopsided grin as he imagined he might even find her curled up and ready for bed in those ridiculous pajamas. The smile froze on his lips as he stepped across the threshold and Elena's words reached his ear.

"…will always love you too. You were my first real love and nothing will ever change that."

Bristling at the sight of her in his brother's arms, Damon's vision swam for a moment, and he shook his head to clear it, fighting the rage that battled with white hot disappointment. Part of him wanted to rip her out of Stefan's arms and crush his brother's skull with his bare hands until it popped, rending and tearing until the pain subsided.

But as he watched them embrace tenderly, he knew he'd never do it. He'd told her he would let her make her choice, and she'd chosen Stefan. It was always Stefan. How could he have expected it would end any other way? Drawing his humor around him like a shield, Damon's lips tugged up into a smirk so pronounced, it was almost a grimace of pain. "I guess I know who you chose."

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left. The look of surprise and mortification on Elena's face – he would carry that with him until the day he died. Why had he gotten rid of that bottle?

**A/N: dun dun dun… gotta love my angsty cliffhangers! Don't worry, you guys should know I'll never leave them apart for **_**too**_** long. Time for Elena to do a little chasing, don't you think?**

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	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was chasing after Damon…**

**We are still rated T for teen here, but we've definitely got some mature content in this chapter. Don't read on if you're offended by such things… wait, who am I kidding? Isn't this what you guys have been waiting for? **

_Her hand closed over his. "Stefan, part of me will always love you too. You were my first real love and nothing will ever change that." Stefan leaned forward to brush the lightest of kisses over her lips and she felt his goodbye in that touch. Tears gathered to spill from the corner of her eyes as she threw her arms around his neck and felt him pull her close for a final embrace._

* * *

_She loved him._

_It was enough to make him get rid of the bottle. Inordinately pleased, Damon found it hard to sit cooped up at the cabin with such news. Practically vibrating with nervous energy, he was going out of his mind pacing the length of the small room. What he wanted most of all was to see her, convince her what she had to already feel in her heart. She belonged with him. How the hell was he supposed to sit still and give her the space she'd asked for? Worse still, what if she decided to pick Stefan over him? Could he really accept that after getting a taste of her love? Did he have it in him to be the better man and step aside again? _

_What the hell was he acting like a whiny little bitch for? Damon knew what he had to do._

_Now that he knew she cared, he didn't intend to fight fair. Hell, he'd do everything in his power to make her his, now that he knew he had a fighting chance. Convinced in the beauty of his plan, Damon set out at top speed, pushing the muscle car as fast as it could manage on the rural roads. Not quite sure if she'd be at the boarding house or the Gilbert place, he decided to start off at the Salvatore's. Even if Elena wasn't there, it couldn't hurt to stop and change into something a little sexier than the jeans and t-shirt he'd been wearing while roughing it in the sticks. He'd use every weapon at his disposal._

_The sight of Elena's car made the space where his heart used to beat clench almost painfully in anticipation, knowing he'd have her in his arms in just a few seconds. Damon approached the house with a spring in his step, lips curved into a lopsided grin as he imagined he might even find her curled up and ready for bed in those ridiculous pajamas. The smile froze on his lips as he stepped across the threshold and Elena's words reached his ear. _

"…_will always love you too. You were my first real love and nothing will ever change that."_

_Bristling at the sight of her in his brother's arms, Damon's vision swam for a moment, and he shook his head to clear it, fighting the rage that battled with white hot disappointment. Part of him wanted to rip her out of Stefan's arms and crush his brother's skull with his bare hands until it popped, rending and tearing until the pain subsided. But as he watched them embrace tenderly, he knew he'd never do it. He'd told her he would let her make her choice, and she'd chosen Stefan. It was always Stefan. How could he have expected it would end any other way? Drawing his humor around him like a shield, Damon's lips tugged up into a smirk so pronounced, it was almost a grimace of pain. "I guess I know who you chose." _

_Without another word, he turned on his heel and left. The look of surprise and mortification on Elena's face… he would carry that with him until the day he died. Why had he gotten rid of that bottle?_

* * *

Elena stared at the door, frozen in place, her face a mask of shock. What were the odds that Damon would pick that precise moment to stroll through the door? How could he have made the assumption that she was picking Stefan? Hadn't she as much said that she wanted more from him back at the cabin? Then again, she realized that while she'd already chosen Damon in her heart before she'd left him there, she'd never come out and said it to him aloud. And now he was leaving? Christ, what would she do if he put on a burst of super speed and disappeared into the night? How would she ever find him again?

The thoughts flitted through her mind in the space of a heartbeat, and Elena felt him slipping away, her mind shouting out in a panic. "Damon, wait!" Almost as if she was in a dream, her limbs were heavy, as though she couldn't move them fast enough, and she had the sensation as though she was running through sand. Heart pumping, adrenaline kicked in, shaking her from the fog of shock and giving her the boost of speed she needed to chase after him.

The cool night air was like a slap in the face, and Elena's heart stopped when she didn't see him right away, his dark clothes blending in with the night. "Damon?" she called out again, swaying in relief when she spotted his pale skin in the darkness.

Damon stopped in his tracks but didn't turn to face her. "I don't want to hear about how sorry you are, okay? It is what it is."

"That isn't what I have to say." Elena hurried to catch up with him, trying to breathe past the burning in her lungs. He sounded so closed off to her, and so hurt.

"Oh right, because you would never apologize for loving Stefan, I forgot. Fine, I didn't want to listen to it anyway. I have places to be." He started walking again without a backward glance, away from the car, down the driveway.

If he'd just slow down, let her get a breath… then again, she was grateful he hadn't taken off like a shot in the first place. "Damon, it's not what you think."

"No?" He sounded unconvinced. "You're not about to give me the let's be friends speech?"

She could hear the bitterness in his voice. "No, I'm not. If you'd slow down a minute…"

Damon did halt in his tracks then, turning on his heel, eyes blazing with fury in the darkness. "You don't seriously expect me to stick around, do you? What kind of a masochist do you think I am? Do you really think things can go back to the way they were?"

Elena flinched at the pain in his voice, knowing she'd been the one to put it there, whether she meant to or not. Maybe if she'd been more honest with herself earlier, she might have spared him this. "I don't want them to, that's not what I'm telling you. Damon, I love you," she said earnestly, willing him to hear her, but the resignation was already in his face.

"Yeah, just not enough. I'm tired of being second best. Goodbye, Elena."

This was all wrong. How could things be so messed up now that she finally knew what she wanted? As he turned away, panic flared within her as she began to grasp what it would feel like if he truly walked out of her life. "Damon, wait!" Elena launched herself at him, tears threatening as she wrapped her arms around him. "Don't you dare leave me!"

"Are you trying to make this harder for me?"

She felt him stiffen in her embrace and she buried her face in his neck. "I'm trying to fix things, genius." She threw his own word back at him, somewhere between laughing and crying. "I'm trying to tell you that I chose you, not Stefan."

Damon went very still, not quite trusting the words coming out of her mouth. If that was the case… "Then what was that I walked in on?"

"Saying goodbye. I told you, part of me still loves Stefan, I owed it to him to tell him that I want to be with you. I didn't want him to hear it any other way."

"And he was okay with that?" It didn't seem likely.

"No, of course not, but he does want me to be happy, just like you want me to be happy."

It sounded too good to be true. The _nice guy_ image aside, Damon knew Stefan didn't deal well with disappointment. But it was hard to think about that with Elena in his arms. Slowly but surely, he started to grasp the reality that she'd chosen him. Another thing that sounded too good to be true.

Damon found himself doing a surreptitious check to make sure it was really her and not Katherine playing a bad joke on him. But sure enough, she was warm and alive and wholly Elena. Relief so sharp it stung swept through him, and he held her tighter, hauling her up against the length of his body. "You picked me," he said into her hair. "You can't change your mind now, you're stuck with me. I'll be damned if I ever let you go now." Stefan would be in for a hell of a fight if he decided a confrontation was in order.

"No chance of that." Her breath was warm against his skin as she laughed. "I'm sorry you misunderstood."

"You should've told me first," he scolded lightly, pulling back to get a better look at her. "Why didn't you say so at the cabin?" Hell, he would've waited as long as she wanted if she'd made it clear that he was her choice. Better yet, he might have eavesdropped a little sooner on the conversation to see how Saint Stefan had taken the news.

"'Cause I'm an idiot?" She smiled impishly up at him.

It was hard to hang on to any exasperation over the matter when she smiled at him like that, and Damon was only too happy to let it go. "Yeah, you are." He reached up to brush the hair back over her ear, fingers lightly skimming over her cheek in the process. "But you're my idiot."

"Thanks." Her eyes rolled before that tinge of fear returned to them. "So, we're okay?"

Did she really think he'd hold a grudge at a time like this? "Yeah, we're okay. We're very okay." He leaned down to claim her lips in a deep kiss, the way he wanted to every time he saw her. Feeling her respond to him, her hands stealing around his neck to tangle in his hair, it sent a thrill through him he'd almost forgotten. This was so much more than he'd ever thought to have with Elena, and he wanted even more.

Damon let his hands roam freely over her body, each gasp and sigh against his lips sending a jolt of desire through him. Dimly he realized that what he had in mind called for a lot more privacy, and he started slowly edging her backwards toward the house. "Actually no, strike that. We're okay once I get you into my bed."

For a few steps she went without complaint, but then Elena broke the kiss. "Damon, no," she squeaked, hands clamping over his.

Not in the mood to take no for an answer, Damon continued his tender assault, blazing a trail of kisses down every inch of exposed skin he could reach. "You're not gonna make me wait anymore are you? Don't you think we've both waited long enough?" he purred by her ear, gratified to feel the shiver that went through her body in response.

"It's not that, but we can't go inside. Stefan's in there."

"He does live here. If he knows you love me, I'm pretty sure he's figured out what comes next by now."

"I know, but we can't here. It would be…"

She had a point. The last thing he wanted on her mind at a time like this was any guilt over Stefan. "Alright, I know where we can have all the privacy in the world. Come on." Damon tugged her to the car, fishing for the keys in his pocket. To his delight, she came with him without argument. He could definitely get used to that.

"Where are we going?"

"I'll give you three guesses."

* * *

Elena guessed correctly on the second try, and a feeling of anticipation took hold of her, the closer they got to Alaric's cabin. Were they rushing things? She hardly knew. On the one hand, she'd just broken up with Stefan, but on the other hand, she knew they'd been building toward this for a long, long time, and it seemed like torture to think about putting it off any longer. Silence stretched between them as the car hurtled through the darkness, each lost to their own thoughts.

Not quite sure what to expect, she smiled up at Damon when he came around to help her out of the car and up to the cabin door. The cabin itself was unchanged, the fire banked low in the hearth keeping it cozy and warm. Still dressed in her pajamas, Elena was grateful for the warmth because she shivered at every little touch of his cool fingers.

"Oh good, there's still a fire in the…" The rest of her words were cut off as Damon pressed her up against the door for another long kiss, stealing the breath from her body. Just as abruptly it was over, and Elena wondered if she'd ever get used to a greeting like that?

"I'll add some more wood to the fire, we don't want it burning out in the middle of the night." Damon's eyes flashed playfully, and she could see he'd noticed her flare of nerves and was giving her some space. Grateful for the gesture, she watched him move about the cabin, seeming perfectly relaxed.

"I really like this place. How long were you planning on staying up here?" she asked, coming to join him in front of the fire.

"That depends on you."

"Me?"

"Sure. How long are you planning on staying up here with me?" he grinned up at her before straightening at her side.

The idea of holing up in the cabin with him indefinitely was appealing, but sooner or later reality would intrude. "I have to go back to school eventually."

"Then I'll have to go back to town eventually, I suppose," he replied equably. "Do you want anything to eat or drink? The cupboards are stocked with the basics, not that I've made much of a dent in anything but the liquor cabinet." He picked up the bottle and set it aside on the table.

"No, I'm fine," Elena assured him, taking note of the low level in the bottle. "You do drink a lot," she sighed, remembering the conversation around the campfire.

"I told you, it takes the edge off of being me." Damon reached for the bottom of her shirt, tugging her closer.

Dutifully she closed the distance between them, hand sliding up his chest to rest on his shoulders. "Don't you like being you?"

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as his arms slid around her waist, binding her to him. "It's definitely looking up."

Still a little nervous, a flutter went through her belly at the way he looked at her – as though he wanted to eat her up, but in a good way. "What are you thinking?"

"I hope it's as good as your dream."

Elena swallowed, remembering the steamy dream she'd accused him of conjuring that night in the tent. "Let's find out," she breathed, leaning up on her toes to brush her lips against his. All too eager to take what she offered, Damon kissed Elena hungrily, and her case of the nerves slid away, replaced by a hunger equal to his. Weeks of pent up longing and hidden fantasies lent an urgency to her movements; she wanted to touch him everywhere at once.

Expecting him to lead her to the bed, she was surprised but not disappointed as he urged her down to the rug in front of the fire, watching the flickering light play off of his handsome features as he eased her clothes off between kisses. She almost expected him to tear them from her body given his prior level of impatience, but faced with the reality of Elena in his arms, Damon took things slow.

Every inch of skin exposed was like a new revelation, one to be cherished and savored. That's how he made Elena feel as his cool fingers brushed over her heated skin. No smirk twisted his lips, no flippant sarcasm jaded his gaze. Damon's eyes reflected such naked emotion, such love and honesty, she forgot to feel embarrassed as he laid her bare.

Elena let herself enjoy his gentle touch with no feelings of guilt or regret. This was right. Just when she thought she couldn't stand it any longer, he repeated the same lazy exploration, this time with his mouth, and she came apart in his arms, his name on her lips in a hoarse cry of delight as he showed her just what she'd been missing.

When she could open her eyes again, Elena found him watching her intently, inordinately pleased with himself. "My turn," she smiled back, determined to wipe that smirk off his face and give him just as much pleasure as he'd given her. "You, are wearing way too many clothes," she observed, skirting past his questing hands to reach for the bottom of his shirt.

"Far be it from me to stand in the way of what you want," Damon replied with a slow grin, helping her tug it up and over his head.

Elena's mouth closed over the smooth plane of his chest, enjoying his sharp intake of breath as her teeth scraped lightly. "You're what I want," she breathed, hands skimming lower.

"I aim to please." Damon rolled onto his back, letting her take the lead, and Elena grew bolder, enjoying the power she had over him. Impressed by his restraint, she did her best to drive him to lose it, taking her time to tease and tempt as she slowly pulled the rest of his clothes off until he wore nothing but a smile.

Pushing at his shoulders, Elena straddled him, hair spilling over her shoulders like a dark cloud. Damon's hands immediately went to her hips, attempting to guide her to where he wanted her most, but she resisted. "Ah, ah, ah… none of that." Pulling his hands away by the wrists, she pinned them over his head, fully aware that he was strong enough to resist her at any moment. "I told you, it's my turn."

"I have absolutely no problem with that," he nodded earnestly, resting his hands behind his head to wait and see what she would do next.

Elena shifted a little lower, allowing herself to look her fill of his magnificent body. _God, he was beautiful._ Sure, she'd caught glimpses of what he had to offer every now and again, but it was nothing to compare to the splendor of his taut body in the play of firelight. And he belonged to her.

Taking her cues from his slow exploration, she mirrored his actions, showing him without words that she'd wanted him as much as he wanted her.

"You're killing me," he bit out through clenched teeth.

"You can dish it out, but you can't take it, huh?" Elena smiled against his skin, letting him catch his breath. From the scrape of his nails against the rug and the clutch of his fingers in her hair, Elena knew he was dangerously close to losing his veneer of control, but it still took her by surprise to find herself suddenly on her back, his lips crashing against her with desperate passion.

Her limbs wound around him, skin sliding against skin as she welcomed the shift in position, more than ready for him. "Are you sure about this?" He gazed into her eyes, holding back at the last second. "You said you wanted to go slow."

Elena could see what it cost him to ask her that, the effort to rein in his own desire to make sure she was ready. "I want this. I want you." She leaned up to kiss him tenderly. "I love you, Damon."

"That's all I needed to hear."

* * *

Limbs entangled, they lay before the fire, Elena's head resting on his chest. Drugged with pleasure, Elena was blissfully drowsy, enjoying the soft touch as Damon lazily stroked her back.

"You are perfection, do you know that?"

She felt the words rumble from his chest and wondered – he wasn't putting her up on a pedestal like Stefan had, was he? "I'm far from perfect," she protested, a pucker appearing on her brow.

"No, I know. You're stubborn and far too opinionated for a gently bred lady," he chuckled, and she joined him in a smile.

Elena imagined she was a far cry from the ladies he'd grown up with. "It's a sign of the times, I'm afraid." It wasn't in her to be a shy, retiring lady, even though she still believed in the old adage – if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all.

"You're way too self-sacrificing, you never look before you leap," Damon continued listing her faults. "Do you know what it's like chasing after a train wreck waiting to happen all the time?"

"I can't help it, I don't want those I love to get hurt."

"Plus, you have morality issues."

"What morality issues? What's wrong with my morals?" she demanded indignantly.

"You have too many of them."

Elena propped herself up on his chest to look down at him. "Anything else?"

"You could stand to eat a sandwich," he added with a half shrug.

"There's nothing wrong with the way I look, I…"

Damon swallowed her response with a kiss, the laughter rumbling through his chest again. Forgetting to be insulted, she kissed him back, surprised that he could make her want him again so soon. "You're perfect for me," Damon clarified when they parted, reaching up to caress the side of her face. "I almost wish we could've met before, when I was human. I think about it sometimes, what our lives would have been like if I'd been allowed to grow old, marry, have a family. Or what it would have been like if I'd met you before Stefan did."

She'd never thought about it before, but there was so much of the future to look forward to, she didn't want to dwell on a past that never happened. "I think… things happen for a reason. I think neither one of us would've been ready if you'd come to town first. But this…" she kissed him again, slowly, tenderly, "I agree, together, we're perfection."

His arms tightened around her again, pulling her more firmly atop his body to slide against his hardness. "Let me show you perfection."

A knock at the door brought both of their heads up, twin looks of disappointment mingled with dread on their faces. "Who is it, do you think?" Elena whispered.

"Whoever it is, they're not human. Get dressed," he replied, his voice low and urgent.

**A/N: I almost had him take off to Atlantic City or Vegas or something and have it take a few months for her to track him down, but in the end I couldn't do it to him! I hope you guys liked this scenario better. We've got a little ways to go with this one yet, but the end is in sight. So…**

**Feedback is Love**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I was chasing after Damon…**

**We're not quite at the end yet, we'll see what happens. ****I wonder who could be at the door? **

"_You're way too self-sacrificing, you never look before you leap," Damon continued listing her faults. "Do you know what it's like chasing after a train wreck waiting to happen all the time?"_

"_I can't help it, I don't want those I love to get hurt."_

"_Plus, you have morality issues…"_

"_What morality issues? What's wrong with my morals?" she demanded indignantly._

"_You have too many of them."_

_Elena propped herself up on his chest to look down at him. "Anything else?"_

"_You could stand to eat a sandwich." A half shrug was given._

"_There's nothing wrong with the way I look, I…" _

_Damon swallowed her response with a kiss, and she could feel the laughter rumbling through his chest again. Forgetting to be insulted, she kissed him back, surprised that he could make her want him again so soon. "You're perfect for me," Damon clarified when they parted, reaching up to caress the side of her face. "I almost wish we could have met before, when I was human. I think about it sometimes, what our lives would have been like if I'd been allowed to grow old, marry, have a family. Or what it would have been like if I'd met you before Stefan did."_

_She'd never thought about it before, but there was so much of the future to look forward to, she didn't want to dwell on a past that never happened. "I think… things happen for a reason. I think neither one of us would have been ready if you'd come to town first. But this…" she kissed him again, slowly, tenderly. "I agree, together, we're perfection."_

_His arms tightened around her again, pulling her more firmly atop his body to slide against his hardness. "Let me show you perfection…"_

_A knock at the door brought both of their heads up, twin looks of disappointment mingled with dread on their faces. "Who is it, do you think?" Elena whispered._

"_Whoever it is, they're not human. Get dressed," he replied, his voice low and urgent._

* * *

Elena scrambled to her feet in the wake of his warning. Tugging on clothes as quickly as she could, she followed Damon to the door, eager to see who stood on the other side. Could it be Stefan? She _had_ left him fairly abruptly. Wearing only a pair of jeans, Damon motioned for her to step back away from the door, and she did as she was told, but just barely, curiosity overruling her sense of self preservation. As he pulled open the door, a gasp of surprise left her lips at finding Katherine standing on the other side looking agitated about something.

"Really not a good time." Damon gave her a tight smile.

"There's something you need to see," Katherine insisted, but Damon wasn't having any.

"We don't want any, thanks for stopping by." He shut the door in her face, turning around with a roll of the eyes. "Now, where were we?" he smiled entreatingly, but Elena brushed past him to the door.

"Don't you want to find out what she wants? What if it's important?"

"It's Katherine. Whatever it is, it's only important to her," he quipped, wholly uninterested in whatever Katherine had to say. "If we ignore her, she'll go away eventually. Come back over by the fire, or are you feeling tired?"

"Tired?" Was he kidding? How could she even think about sleep or anything else with Katherine out there anxious about God knew what? "No, the adrenaline's got me wide awake now and I want to find out what's going on." Elena opened the door, gratified to see Katherine still standing there, leaning against the doorframe.

"Finally, I thought I was going to have to wait out here all night," she muttered, a different light coming into her eyes as she caught sight of Elena's disheveled state. "Well, well, well, isn't this an interesting development," she smirked. "That was fast, even for you." Katherine shot Damon a look, and Elena dragged her fingers through her hair, trying to right her appearance, well aware of the scent in the air.

"What do you want?" Elena asked bluntly. Just because she wanted to know what brought Katherine to their doorstep didn't mean she was any fonder of the vampire than Damon was.

"I thought you should see this." Without another word Katherine held up her phone, Andie Starr's report of a local murder filling the screen. In serious tones, the reporter told the story of a young woman, brutally murdered in the park, though there were few details released except that the police had several promising leads. Damon leaned forward to study the image, dismissing it after a few seconds.

"So? What's this got to do with us?"

"What the report isn't telling you is that she was killed by a vampire."

"I repeat, what's this got to do with us? Go tell Saint Stefan, I'm sure he'll help you go chase away the rogue vampire. I'll bet he's looking for a project right about now," Damon smirked, and Elena gave him a frown of disapproval.

"Who was she? Was she someone we know?" Elena asked, suddenly filled with dread as she realized the body hadn't been identified in the news report.

"Beats the hell out of me," Katherine shrugged at Elena. "I just thought you should know Stefan's out on the prowl again."

"You think Stefan did this?" Elena gasped, too shocked to give it any credence at first, but then a niggling doubt crept into her thoughts. Would he have taken their break up that badly? He'd seemed composed enough when she'd last seen him. Well, before she'd dashed out after Damon, that couldn't have been easy for him to witness.

"I know Stefan did this," Katherine nodded earnestly. "You ripped his heart out, what did you expect him to do, take up knitting? You know what he gets like," she directed at Damon.

"But it's only been a couple of hours since we broke up," Elena protested, still having trouble wrapping her mind around it.

"Apparently he was in a big fat hurry to forget you," she snorted. "Can't say as I really blame him, love makes you do crazy things. We've all been there."

"We've all been through heartbreak, but that doesn't mean he'd turn to murder." Elena looked to Damon, but he was studiously avoiding her gaze. Did that mean he'd turned to murder to assuage his heartbreak in the past? Or did he think Stefan was capable of murder now that she'd left him? "How do we even know it was Stefan that did this? Even if it was a vampire, it's not inconceivable that it was some other vampire passing through. Or Elijah even." Just because he seemed well mannered didn't mean he wasn't a brutal killer under the right circumstances.

"Oh please, all the signs are there," Katherine insisted. "Their bodies were torn apart and then put back together again." She met Damon's eyes, and he returned the look, his jaw setting in a way that made Elena's mouth run dry.

"I'll go talk to Andie, see what I can dig up," he muttered, tugging on a shirt and some shoes.

Thrown for a loop, Elena hovered by him while he got dressed. "You really think Stefan did this?"

"Better safe than sorry," he shrugged, and she felt her stomach clench into a hard ball of worry. Sensing her distress, he brushed his fingers alongside her jaw, tipping her face up to look at him. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. On the off chance it is him, I'll bring him home and we'll straighten him out. He's probably just on a bender, he'll snap out of it."

_As if that made it okay._ Elena nodded up at him, not sure what else to say. "Call me if you turn anything up, or if you find him." Part of her was still convinced he'd find Stefan brooding back at the boarding house, oblivious to what was going on in town. "Love you," she whispered near his ear as he pulled her close, and she felt his arms tighten almost imperceptibly around her.

* * *

Overwhelmed by those two simple words, Damon held tight to Elena a fraction longer before pulling back to bask in the love shining in her eyes. He could definitely get used to this. Unable to resist, he leaned in for a goodbye kiss, leaving her breathless, heart beating madly in a siren's call that tempted him to chuck it all and stay behind, Stefan be damned. But he owed his brother this much, and the sooner he left, the sooner he could return and show Elena she'd made the right choice. Dropping a quick wink, he flashed his eyes playfully at her before he turned to face Katherine.

"Aw, that's so sweet," Katherine muttered from the doorway, "Are you going to invite me in, or do I have to spend the night waiting out here?"

"You're not coming with?" Damon frowned. He'd assumed she'd want to be in the thick of things where Stefan was involved.

Katherine tipped her head to one side, "I don't think that's such a good idea right now."

"Well, I don't think it's such a good idea letting you inside. Somehow I don't see the two of you braiding each other's hair and playing gossip girl while I'm gone," he snorted.

"I'm the last thing you have to worry about right now."

"Exactly, and I'd like to keep it that way. Later Elena, and don't let her in." With a pointed look, he shut the door firmly behind him, dragging Katherine away from the cabin by the elbow. "Okay spill, what aren't you telling me?"

"What? A girl can't have a few secrets?" She smiled up at him sweetly, and he was struck by how different the two women were. Had he ever really mistaken Katherine for Elena? There was no comparison.

"Why is it a bad idea for you to come with me?" he pressed, not in the mood for her games.

"Because the victim has long, dark hair, dark eyes, my general build and height… or rather Elena's." She looked at him, waiting for him to make the connection.

"You think he wants to hurt Elena?"

"I think it's not a great time to share her face. After he's had a chance to cool down a little, then I'll make my move. I'd prefer it if he was still alive and kicking by the time that happens."

Ordinarily he'd say that Stefan would never hurt Elena, but when he was in one of his black moods… "Okay, stay put, watch over the cabin. Don't say a thing to Elena about this, I'll be back soon."

"Does this mean I can wait inside?" Her eyes grew hopeful, but Damon was gone without another word. "Swell," she muttered in disgust.

* * *

Playing errand boy was never his favorite thing to do, and running all over town tracking his brother was no better. Andie had precious little information to share about the murders. They hadn't let her see the body, but she did confirm that the victim shared the same physical body type with Elena and Katherine, and was in her late teens. Her identity was being withheld until her family could be notified. A quick visit to Sheriff's office did little better, everyone was out in the field on a massive manhunt and Sheriff Forbes didn't answer his phone call. Things were still dicey with her anyway. Damon wasn't really sure if she was willing to help him or not, especially if she thought a vampire was responsible for the crime.

Running out of options, he stopped at the morgue, dismayed to find that Katherine was right. Not only did the murdered girl bear a passing resemblance to Elena, she had been ripped apart, a signature move for his brother's darker days. The only saving grace was that the Council might not automatically associate the attack with _vampire_ since it wasn't only neck trauma and blood loss. With any luck, they might turn their investigation to a hairier threat and get rid of the local werewolf contingent in the bargain. He could only hope.

After spending some time tracking Stefan and coming up empty, Damon returned to the boarding house, half expecting to find the place deserted, but the moment the house came into view, he knew he'd come to the right place. The only question now was – what state would he find him in?

The lights were all off, but there was enough light from the fireplace to cast the great room in a rosy glow. "Been kinda busy tonight, haven't you?" he called out, going right for the sidebar to pour himself a drink, more out of habit than any real need for it. Stefan sat before the fire, giving his best impression of a statue. "Stefan?" There was no response, and Damon left his drink untouched, skirting the side of the room to get a better look at him. "You okay, brother?"

Stefan's face was completely closed off, no trace of emotion one way or the other visible as he stared into the flames. "Don't start with me, Damon," he said finally, the warning clear in his voice.

"What? I'm here on a peaceful mission to make sure you're alright. Which, I know you're not, but I'm here to make sure you don't make things any worse."

"How could things possibly get any worse?" He gave a mirthless laugh, eyes still trained on the fire.

"Oh, I can think of ways it could be worse, believe me, baby brother." He'd only been jilted for a few hours, what did Stefan know about suffering? Damon suppressed a roll of the eyes, remembering he was there to try and help for Elena's sake.

"Don't call me that."

"Why, I'm not your brother anymore? Just because she picked me over you? That's harsh considering all the things you've forgiven me for over the years," Damon pointed out.

"You took the one thing in my life I could hold on to." A note of emotion crept into Stefan's voice as he slowly came back to life.

"Obviously you couldn't hold on _too_ well." It slipped out, Damon couldn't help it, his mouth had a well documented tendency to speak without checking in with his brain sometimes and this was no exception. He barely had time to register that it probably wasn't the most tactful response given the circumstances, when his brother's head came up, his face contorted with rage.

"You bastard." Stefan's voice was low and deadly before he lost the last vestige of control and charged Damon, crashing into him in a full body tackle. Damon absorbed the blow without too much difficulty, using Stefan's momentum to turn their bodies so that it was Stefan's back that crashed against the wall, not his.

"You don't want to do this, Stefan," Damon warned. He had no desire to smash his brother's face in for once. There was no need to.

"Don't tell me what I want," Stefan growled, breaking the hold Damon had on his shirt and grabbing the nearest weapon within reach, which happened to be a crystal lamp. The heavy lamp shattered against Damon's forearm as he raised to block it, but Damon made no move to counterattack.

"I mean it, little brother, don't start something you don't want to finish," Damon cautioned, but Stefan was beyond rational words. A series of blows was his only response, and Damon dodged them without difficulty, Stefan's rage making him sloppy. What was more disturbing was the strength behind the blows, leading Damon to believe Katherine was right, he had drunk human blood that night.

As Stefan landed a sound punch to his face, Damon decided it wasn't funny anymore and hit him back, hard enough to make Stefan lose his balance. Pressing his advantage, he wrapped his arm around Stefan's throat, pinning one arm behind his back as he shoved him against the wall. Hard. It was the only way to get his attention, and maybe the pain might bring him a spot of clarity.

"Have you had enough?" he asked with another shove for emphasis and Stefan went slack in his arms, the fight gone out of him for the moment. Damon let go of him, stepping back in case it was a ploy.

Stefan immediately turned on him. "If I ever see you again, I'll end you," he threatened with a baleful glare.

"I'd like to see you try," Damon scoffed, more than a little amused by the empty threat, considering his inept attempt to kick his ass only moments before.

"I'm serious, Damon."

"So am I. You're upset, you've always been emotional, but you'll get over it, you always do." Deliberately turning his back on him, Damon went to retrieve his forgotten drink.

"Not this. You stole everything from me."

Damon whirled on him, brows drawing together into a single, dark line. "What about what you stole from me? My chance at a human life, my chance at a true death. This is the life you chose for me and now you begrudge me my one shot at happiness?"

"I'd be more than happy to give you that death at any time," he spat out.

"Come on, Stefan, are we really going to let a girl tear us apart _again_? Didn't we learn anything from what happened with Katherine?"

"That was nothing like this! I never loved Katherine!"

"But _I_ did," Damon sobered, no longer amused by his brother's temper tantrum. "This is exactly like what happened with her only the other way around. This time the girl chose me and you can't stand it, can you? Now you have an inkling of what it was like to be me for a hundred years or more."

"So that's what this is about, payback?"

"Of course not, I love Elena, this is just a perk." He couldn't help the smirk that leapt to his lips.

"You don't know the meaning of love," Stefan muttered in disgust.

"I didn't used to, but I do now. If she'd chosen you, I would've stepped away gracefully, been happy for her. I thought you'd be able to do the same. Aren't you supposed to be the more enlightened brother?"

"I do want her to be happy, just not with you. Anybody but you."

"Why does it bother you so much that she's with me? What difference does it make if she's with me or Matt or Joe Schmoe?"

"Because you can't possibly appreciate her, all you care about is winning."

"I appreciate her in away that you never will, because I love her for who she is – not for who you want her to be – flaws and all. And she loves me too, crazy though that might seem to you, she really and truly loves me, sins and all. You have to accept that…"

"I can never accept this. She'll learn the hard way she can't trust you and I'll be there," Stefan vowed, and Damon shook his head, taking a slow sip of his drink.

"She's not gonna come running back to your waiting arms. She knows about what you did tonight." The look on Stefan's face was the last nail in the coffin. Damon knew now without a shadow of a doubt it was true. "So until you can get a hold of yourself, stay the hell away from her. If _you_ hurt her, there's no place on this Earth you can hide from me. If you think the last hundred and fifty years were torture, you ain't seen nothin' yet." His eyes glittered dangerously.

Shocked over the revelation, Stefan fell back against the couch dazedly, wrestling with the reality of his actions. "I didn't mean… I wasn't… I would never hurt her."

"Tell that to the girl you ripped apart tonight," Damon grimaced. "I'll clean up your mess, but this is the last time. As it is the council is probably already on Defcon One, it's not like I can blame her death on an accident with power tools, you know."

"You won't have to trouble yourself again," he murmured.

"Good," Damon nodded to himself. Everything was back on track and he could get back to Elena, where he belonged. "So…" When he turned around, there was no sign of him. "Stefan?" He was gone, probably to go brood by himself. So why did he feel like it wasn't over yet?

**A/N: So, what did you think of my little showdown between brothers? **

**Feedback is Love**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I had a birthday present from Damon…**

**I'm glad you guys liked the little fight between brothers and yeah, this isn't the last we've heard from Stefan. But for now, back to something that blends a little bit of canon reality with my reality, as I was inspired by the birthday party.**

"_I do want her to be happy, just not with you. Anybody but you…"_

"_Why does it bother you so much that she's with me? What difference does it make if she's with me or Matt or Joe Schmoe?"_

"_Because you can't possibly appreciate her, all you care about is winning." _

"_I appreciate her in away that you never will, because I love her for who she is, nor for who I want her to be, flaws and all. And she loves me too, crazy though that might seem to you, she really and truly loves me, sins and all. You have to accept that…"_

"_I can never accept this. She'll learn the hard way that she can't trust you and I'll be there," Stefan vowed, and Damon shook his head, taking a slow sip of his drink._

"_She's not gonna come running back to your waiting arms. She knows about what you did tonight." The look on Stefan's face was the last nail in the coffin; Damon knew now without a shadow of a doubt that it was true. "So until you can get a hold of yourself, stay the hell away from her. If you hurt her, there's no place on this Earth you can hide from me. If you think the last hundred and fifty years were torture, you ain't seen nothin' yet," his eyes glittered dangerously._

_Shocked over the revelation, Stefan fell back against the couch dazedly, wrestling with the reality of his actions. "I didn't mean… I wasn't… I would never hurt her…"_

"_Tell that to the girl you ripped apart tonight," Damon grimaced. "I'll clean up your little mess, but this is the last time. As it is the council is probably already on Def-Con One, it's not like I can blame her death on an accident with power tools, you know." _

"_You won't have to trouble yourself again," he murmured. _

"_Good," Damon nodded to himself, everything was back on track and he could get back to Elena, where he belonged. "So…" When he turned around, there was no sign of him. "Stefan?" He was gone, probably to go brood by himself. So why did he feel like it wasn't over yet?_

* * *

**_Two months later_**

"I don't feel much like celebrating." Elena stood in front of the mirror, applying a final coat of mascara to her lashes. Her thoughts returned to Stefan once again, as they often had in the past two months, without being able to help it. She hadn't seen or heard from him since the night she'd left him. By all accounts, he'd pretty much fallen off the face of the Earth after that night, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Maybe he needed some time alone to sort things out. Or maybe he was off in a terrible depression all because of her. Worse, what if there was a repeat of the murder in town? How could she live with that, knowing she was partly to blame?

"Oh come on, how often does a girl turn eighteen?" Damon watched her from across the room, stretched out on the bed. The party was already in full swing downstairs, but he hadn't put in an appearance yet, content to wait for her to get ready.

"I know, and I wouldn't mind a quiet celebration with you, but a big party? I don't know what I was thinking, letting Caroline plan this thing," she muttered.

Damon swung his legs off the bed, crossing the room to stand behind her in front of the mirror. "You were thinking it sounded like fun and something a typical eighteen-year-old girl would do? You've gotta grab those memories while you can, Elena. Remember what it's like to be happy again." Meeting her eyes in the reflection, he pressed a kiss to her neck, and she smiled softly, automatically tilting her head to one side.

"I do. I am happy." Elena turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "I just feel so… apart from everyone downstairs. What do I even have in common with those people anymore?" The music changed, the throbbing beat slowing to something deeper and the noise of the crowd became more audible, drawing a wince from her as a crash of something fragile was heard.

"You love to dance?" Damon suggested. Pulling her closer, he swayed to the music, drawing her with him.

"I do, it's true." Elena responded automatically, well used to the feel of his body against hers now. They moved together as one, the beat becoming a live, throbbing, part of them, and her heart sped up as she felt that familiar fire sweep through her. "That's not all I love," she whispered, turning her face up to his.

He took what she offered, claiming her mouth with his in a searing kiss, slowly urging her toward the wall. Once trapped between the hardness of his body and the wall at her back, Elena surrendered all thoughts of the party; everything she wanted for her birthday was right before her.

Damon brought both of her hands above her head and trapped them there, building a slow burn between them as he moved in time to the music, finding all the right sensitive spots he knew she liked.

Elena's head fell to one side as he blazed a trail of kisses down the side of her neck, a soft rush of breath leaving her body as she felt his teeth graze over the throb of her pulse. Would tonight be the night he drank from her? They hadn't come right out and talked about it, but he'd been holding back with her. As if maybe he was afraid if he showed that part of himself to her, she might change her mind about him.

She wasn't sure how to broach the subject, he always seemed to distract her with some other pleasure in the moment. But it was time to take things to the next level between them. "Damon." Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips as his head dipped lower, moving on in his exploration. "Do you want to…?"

A brief rap at the door barely gave them time to react before Caroline burst in, not at all embarrassed by what she'd walked in on. "Come on you two! You can maul her later, Damon. Right now I need the birthday girl front and center for her party!" she smiled brightly, drawing a string of muttered oaths from under Damon's breath.

"Why bother to knock if you're going to barge right in?" he demanded, not at all eager to let go of Elena, despite the interruption.

"Can you give us a minute, Caroline?" Elena managed to get out, struggling to catch her breath and calm her wildly beating heart. A surreptitious check reassured her that nothing important was uncovered yet, so she was spared that embarrassment at least.

"Oh no, I'm not leaving unless you're coming with me. I know you two, a minute will turn into five and then a half hour, and then you won't show up at all," she frowned. "You guys can celebrate on your own after the party. For now, your public awaits." Caroline held her hand out for Elena expectantly.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." With a tiny groan, Elena pulled herself away from Damon, gratified to find that her legs carried her without being too wobbly. Making sure she looked presentable, she took Caroline's hand, darting a last look of longing back to Damon, she gave him a goodbye wave.

"Later," he mouthed, his eyes full of promise.

* * *

The party was even louder out in the hallway, and Elena instantly missed the sanctuary of Damon's room. Still, she didn't want Caroline to think she wasn't grateful for the effort she put into the party, so she pasted a smile on her face, looking out over the sea of faces from the landing on the stairs. "Wow, I didn't think I even knew this many people."

"Sure you do. You have friends you know, everything doesn't have to revolve around the Salvatores." Caroline nudged her in the side, linking her arm through hers and leading her through the throng of bodies toward the bar. Despite her words, the crowd largely ignored the arrival of the birthday girl, too absorbed in their own partying. "The important thing is that you look hot, I look hot, and we don't need a man on our arm to have a good time tonight."

"You're right," Elena nodded, though she missed having Damon by her side already. She could feel his eyes on her and gave him a private smile across the room before Caroline's words sunk in. "Wait, what about Tyler? Why isn't he on your arm?"

"I don't know, he's been acting weird lately. It's like… when we're alone everything is fine, but in front of other people? He acts like I have the plague or something. I can't figure him out."

"Oh. Well, it's getting close to the full moon, maybe that's got him feeling jumpy?"

"That's true. Maybe he's trying to keep me safe?" She brightened at that.

It seemed as plausible a reason as any, and Elena spotted the werewolf watching them from the crowd. "Hey, there he is over there."

"Where?"

"Over by the fireplace, he can't take his eyes off of you. It doesn't look to me like he wants to avoid you. Maybe you should go talk to him?"

"Are you sure?" Caroline tore her eyes away from Tyler long enough to give Elena a dubious but hopeful smile.

"Of course. Go ahead, I'll be fine," Elena laughed as Caroline's face lit up with excitement, before getting a hold of herself and approaching Tyler with a nonchalant nod. Why did she even bother to play hard to get? Her emotions were always written all over her face. Elena was still watching them unabashedly when she heard a familiar voice at her ear.

"Hey, Elena, happy birthday," Matt grinned, pulling her into a quick hug.

"Thank you, thanks for coming," she smiled back at seeing him look so relaxed. Whenever she saw him at the Grill, he always seemed so distracted and tense.

"How about a dance, for old time's sake?"

The invitation caught her by surprise, but she found herself nodding. "Ah, sure, why not?" They threaded deeper into the crowd and Elena's eyes sought out Damon, but she didn't see him offhand.

"You look great, by the way. I was a bit worried, I haven't seen you around much lately."

"Thanks. I've been busy dealing with… stuff." Elena still wasn't sure what Matt did and didn't know about her situation. He knew about Caroline, but she didn't think he knew about any other vampires in town.

"I know Stefan left, and he meant a lot to you."

Elena gave him a faint smile, she could only imagine the gossip around town surrounding his disappearance.

"I know it's hard to get over someone when they break your heart. You need time to put yourself back together."

He must know more than most people, Caroline must've told him something about the break up. Maybe he sympathized with what Stefan was going through? How did she end up continually hurting these great guys? "That's true," she nodded, her mood plummeting.

"But I wanted you to know, if you need anything, I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you."

Elena looked up, realizing he meant something entirely different from what she'd been thinking. He must think Stefan had broken up with _her_. "Oh. Thanks Matt, but… you did know that I broke up with Stefan, right? Not the other way around."

"You did?" he blinked in surprise.

"Yes. So I'm fine, I'm not getting over a broken heart or anything. But thanks for being worried about me."

"Oh." Matt was silent for a few moments, having trouble processing it through the beers he'd already consumed. "Well, that's okay then." His smile reappeared. "In that case…" His hands slipped lower, off her hips where they'd been resting to dip down over the curve of her behind, and she struggled to put more space between them.

"Whoa, hold on a sec…" she started to protest, but Damon beat her to it, with a light push to Matt's chest.

"Take a hike, Romeo. She's spoken for."

"Damon, it's alright, I can handle it," Elena insisted, before things got out of hand. "Matt didn't know that you and I are…"

"Wait, this guy?" Matt's face crumpled in confusion. "Isn't he a little old for you?"

"Not so old I can't teach you a lesson about poaching on another guy's territory," Damon returned with a smug smile.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Matt scoffed, the alcohol making him bold.

"Damon…" Elena could see this spiraling out of control fast, but Damon waved her concern away.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt him," Damon winked before turning back to Matt. "You're a little drunk, so let me spell this out for you nice and easy. Elena's mine, so back off," he smiled pleasantly. "Okay then? Have a nice time at the party." He patted Matt's cheek with a bit of a sting, dragging Elena off the dance area by the arm.

Once clear of the crowd, Elena pulled her arm free. "You didn't have to be so rude to him, he's a friend of mine."

"Not anymore."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, I don't want you hanging around with him anymore."

"Excuse me?" Instead of getting louder, her voice dropped for his ears only. "When did you start to think you can tell me who I can and can't be friends with anymore?" she demanded.

"When he put his hands all over your ass, that gave me the right to say he's off limits. You should be glad I didn't tear his arms off, I've killed people for less."

"That's not funny."

"Who's joking?"

Elena closed her eyes, counting to five before she trusted herself to speak again. "You can't swoop in and manhandle me whenever you're feeling threatened."

"Why not? It works. Look, everyone here knows you're mine now, not some dirty secret you keep hidden in the back of your closet."

"What? I never said you were a dirty secret," she gasped, shocked that he felt that way.

"Then why haven't you told anyone that we're together?"

"That's not true," she insisted, "Caroline knows, and Jenna."

"Fine, then how come you never want to go out together, or be seen in town where any of your other friends hang out?"

It was closer to the truth to say that she'd lost touch with those friends. She'd moved on and left them behind. Like the party, it was a house full of strangers. Though she could admit that part of her liked having Damon all to herself over the summer break, not dealing with the high school drama of gossip over her break up with Stefan. "I haven't felt like it, that's all. I'm not ashamed of you."

"Could've fooled me." Damon pouted like a little boy, and her heart twisted for the pain she'd unconsciously put him through.

Elena reached up and pulled him in for a long, lingering kiss. "I love you, Damon. I'm not ashamed to say it in front of anyone. I'm sorry if I haven't been shouting it from the hills. I guess I thought it was… I don't know, I didn't want to be judged for running from one brother to the other. But that's about not wanting to be judged for my actions, nothing to do with you."

Mollified, Damon wrapped his arms around her waist, his smug grin reappearing. "I guess I can understand that. Then I'm sorry for doubting you." He kissed her forehead lightly.

"You should apologize to Matt."

"Yeah, that'll happen," he smirked. "I have a better idea."

**A/N: Here's another note from the time I first published this: How did you like their first little lover's spat? It's been interesting to me to figure out how they fit together now since so much of what I read and write is more about the moments leading up to it. I can totally see some of Damon's insecurities surfacing like this, despite his cool exterior, because deep down, he doesn't think he deserves her. Can you guess what Damon's idea is? **

**Feedback is Love**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I do wish I had a birthday present from Damon…**

**As promised, here is Damon's birthday surprise.**

_Elena closed her eyes, counting to five before she trusted herself to speak again. "You can't swoop in and manhandle me whenever you're feeling threatened."_

"_Why not? It works. Look, everyone here knows you're mine now, not some dirty secret you keep hidden in the back of your closet."_

"_What? I never said you were a dirty secret," she gasped, shocked that he felt that way. _

"_Then why haven't you told anyone that we're together?"_

"_That's not true," she insisted, "Caroline knows, and Jenna."_

"_Okay, then how come you never want to go out together, be seen in town where any of your other friends hang out?"_

_It was closer to the truth to say that she'd lost touch with those friends. She'd moved on and left them behind. Like the party, it was a house full of strangers. Though she could admit that part of her liked having Damon all to herself over the summer break, not dealing with the high school drama of gossip over her break up with Stefan. "I haven't felt like it, that's all. I'm not ashamed of you."_

"_Could have fooled me…" Damon pouted like a little boy, and her heart twisted for the pain she'd unconsciously put him through._

_Elena reached up and pulled him in for a long, lingering kiss. "I love you, Damon. I'm not ashamed to say it in front of anyone. I'm sorry if I haven't been shouting it from the hills. I guess I thought it was… I dunno, I didn't want to be judged for running from one brother to the other. But that's about not wanting to be judged for my actions, nothing to do with you."_

_Mollified, Damon wrapped his arms around her waist, his smug grin reappearing. "I guess I can understand that. Then I'm sorry for doubting you." He kissed her forehead lightly._

"_You should apologize to Matt."_

"_Yeah, that'll happen," he smirked. "I have a better idea…"_

* * *

Tugging her along behind him, Damon rejoined the party, grabbing the first person to pass by, a blonde kid in a letterman's jacket. Catching his eye, Damon exerted his will, pupils dilating as he spoke in a calm voice. "The cops are on the way. You'd better get out quick."

The boy stared back at him blankly before he blinked to life, a look of panic spreading across his face. "The cops are on the way! Everybody out quick!" he yelled, circulating through the crowd. The call was taken up by another, and another, and soon there was a mass exodus for the front door. Damon swept Elena safely out of the way to watch the proceedings with a smirk, and Elena had to admit, it was a clever way to clear the house out fast.

Caroline was the only person who didn't seem amused as she approached Damon, hands on her hips. "Was this your doing?" she demanded hotly.

"Party's over, Barbie, go take your dog for a walk," Damon replied with barely a glance at Tyler who approached with Caroline's coat. Tyler bristled, but didn't say anything, which showed a remarkable amount of restraint.

Elena elbowed Damon in the abs, getting herself a sore elbow in the bargain. "Thank you for the party, it was great," she smiled at her friend, absently rubbing at her arm, hoping to smooth over the animosity in the air.

"It was pretty great, wasn't it?" Caroline smiled sunnily, pulling Elena in for a hug. "Okay, we'll say goodnight then. Happy Birthday, Elena."

"Thanks again, you're alright to drive, right?" Elena looked from one to the other, she knew they'd both had a drink or two at least.

"I've got it covered," Tyler replied nonchalantly. "Werewolf metabolism," he shrugged, already stepping to the door, and Elena's worry eased up a notch. She didn't like to think about any of her friends getting hurt, even if they were both especially difficult to kill.

Following the couple, Damon locked the door, turning to Elena with a smile. "Alone at last. Come on." Catching up her hand, he led her to the stairs, and she looked up at him, head cocked to one side.

"Why did you chase everyone out if you're taking me upstairs?" Not that she wasn't happy to have the house to themselves again, she was already feeling more relaxed now that the party was over.

"Because I wanted you all to myself. And I didn't want any distractions for this." Damon scooped her up into his arms, carrying her over the threshold to his bedroom like a new bride. The room had seen a transformation since she'd left it to join the party. All traces of clutter were gone. The room was ablaze with flickering candlelight from dozens of candles liberally sprinkled throughout the room. A bottle of champagne chilled next to the bed, which was strewn with deep, red rose petals, lightly perfuming the room.

"When did you have time to do all this?" Elena craned her neck to take it all in from her vantage point in his arms.

"I'm a man of many talents." His eyes flashed playfully as he set her down on the mattress.

Soft music played from hidden speakers and Elena couldn't help the errant thought – had he often set up this sort of seduction scene for his other bed partners? One look at his face told her it didn't matter, she was the only one in his heart. There was so much love there, it nearly took her breath away. "Are you coming to bed?" She patted the coverlet next to her, causing a puff of rose petals to settle around her hand.

"In a minute, some things I like to do slow," he smiled, pouring them each a tall glass of champagne.

"Yes, I know." Elena raised a petal to her nose, inhaling the delicate scent as she brushed it across her lips. Damon liked to be very slow and thorough sometimes, and it was memories of the many nights they'd already shared together that brought a rush of anticipation. This was how she'd pictured spending her birthday, alone with Damon, as though they were the only people in the world. It was the best gift he could have given her.

"Shall we have a toast?" he asked, handing over a glass. "To the future, and everything it brings."

Elena hesitated for a fraction of a moment. The future was a scary thing sometimes, especially given the way the first eighteen years of her life had passed, but a future with Damon was definitely worth celebrating. "To _our_ future," she smiled, clinking her glass against his.

The champagne slid down her throat, simultaneously cooling and warming her as she drained the glass. She could tell she'd surprised him by that, instead of taking a delicate sip, but Elena wanted one less thing between them. All the quicker to get her hands on the man himself.

Damon however, had other ideas. Staying on his feet, he drained his glass slowly, watching her on the bed. When he leaned close, she caught a whiff of dark chocolate seconds before he placed the confection to her lips.

"Something a little sinful, to whet your appetite," he smiled.

Elena's lips parted to accept the gift, purposefully brushing against his fingers in the process. She saw the hunger in his eyes that the brief touch kindled, and a corresponding thrill went through her as she instinctively knew he wasn't as cool headed as he pretended to be. Two could play at that game.

Leaning back against the pillows, Elena drew her fingers across her shoulders, slowly dragging the straps of her dress down. "You know all about my appetites, and I know about yours," she smiled back, holding his gaze as she eased out of the party dress, leaving her in a matching bra and panty set.

Damon's eyes followed her every movement, fingers finding the buttons of his shirt. Trying not to be distracted by the sight of his bare chest, Elena smoothed her hands over her curves, imagining them to be his hands. Her head fell back against the pillow, exposing the smooth column of her throat in a way she imagined would be appealing to a vampire. "Do you want a taste?" she asked, her voice low and intimate.

In a heartbeat, Damon was lying beside her, lips brushing against her neck. "No, I brought the chocolate for you. All I want is you."

He wasn't getting it, but Damon distracted her too much to form words, as he slipped off the rest of her clothes. This was how it usually went, she got too caught up in the moment to remember to offer up the next step, to let him drink her blood. Elena's rehearsed words fell out of her head as he sank into her hot embrace and they moved together with nothing but sighs of pleasure between them. But as she felt the scrape of his teeth against her shoulder, a frisson of awareness went through her, reminding her that it could be so much more if he stopped holding back.

"Do you want to taste _me_?" Elena breathed at his ear, and she felt the swift intake of breath at his surprise, though he didn't slow his movements, driving them both closer to the edge.

"Are you sure?" he groaned, and she could feel the pleasure swelling, the whispered words between them building the anticipation to a fever pitch. The memory of the last time he'd drunk her blood was a heady one, and coupled with how far their relationship had progressed, couldn't help but tempt her to want to try it again, and see what it would feel like to be truly claimed by him.

"I want to share _everything_ with you." The words came on the edge of a ragged moan as she felt her release dancing just out of reach. "God Damon, don't make me beg…" The words hung in the air as his teeth pierced her flesh, and Elena cried out, not from pain, but an ecstasy so keen, there was nothing to compare it to. The pleasure surged, throbbing between them as she gave herself to him completely. Damon pulsed above her, flooding her senses and she felt his cries of fulfillment reverberating through her body as it went on and on, until she grew dizzy, her head falling back against the pillow to gather a shaky breath. It was so much more than she could have dreamed of.

Dimly, she became aware of Damon sealing the wound at her neck with his own blood and he shifted to lie beside her, gathering her close. "Are you alright?" he asked anxiously, studying her face carefully.

"Alright?" She stretched, the movement producing little aftershocks of delight all through her body. "I don't think there's a word invented for how good I feel right now."

"I was worried I hurt you."

"You can hurt me like that any day," she smiled lazily, snuggling into his side, and Damon relaxed.

"I take it you liked it then?" he chuckled.

"Couldn't you tell?" Elena opened an eye to look at him. She was fairly sure everyone within a five-mile radius had heard how much she liked it.

"I had a feeling, but I was a little distracted at the time. And here it's supposed to be your birthday, I feel like I'm the one who got the gift. I'm not sure how you're gonna top that for my birthday."

"I'll have to think of something," she yawned, a drowsy smile on her lips.

"Speaking of birthdays, I do actually have another gift for you." Reaching for the bedside table, Damon withdrew a small black velvet box and Elena instantly lost her fatigue. Was that what she thought it was?

"Damon…" she breathed, accepting the tiny box with trembling fingers. Was he asking her to marry him? Did she want him to?

"I know, what do you give the girl that has everything… but I thought this might make you smile."

Elena opened the box, stunned to find not an engagement ring, or any kind of jewelry, but a plastic, Happy Bunny keychain that said _you look tasty… is that okay?_ At a momentary loss for words, she tried to tamp down the rush of disappointment that filled her. Had she actually wanted him to propose? "It's, um… cute. Thanks," she managed to get out.

"It goes with this of course." He held up a key.

"Key to your heart?" She made a half-hearted joke, still not sure what it was about.

"Something like that. I want you to move in with me." Twice in the space of as many minutes she was at a loss for words and Damon continued his pitch. "You practically live here now, and the house is yours on paper anyway, but I want to make it official."

"I… I don't know what to say." Her heart was warmed that he wanted to live with her, but something kept her from accepting right away.

"Say yes." Damon took the keychain from her fingers and started putting the house key onto it.

"I know but, Jenna…"

"Doesn't have a say in what you do now that you're eighteen," he interrupted.

"Just because I'm eighteen doesn't mean I magically don't care about her feelings and opinions anymore."

"But she's not the boss of you."

"And neither are you," she gave him a pointed look.

"I thought this would make you happy. What's the problem?"

The look on his face tore at her, but Elena still found herself resisting. "It seems kind of fast to me. It's only been a couple of months."

"It's been longer than a couple of months and you know it."

It was true, she had loved him for longer, she just hadn't admitted it to herself.

"What's the real problem here?" Damon's eyes narrowed.

"What happens if Stefan comes back?"

Damon stiffened beside her. "So what if he does?"

She could see he'd taken the question the wrong way, thinking she might decide to go back to him if he put in an appearance. "No, that's not what I meant. I meant, it would be awkward with me here full time if he came to live here with us, don't you think? It's been wonderful staying here with you, don't get me wrong. But Stefan's been gone this whole time. I'm not sure I want to be running into him over Rice Crispies in the morning, you know?" Or knowing he could hear them in the bedroom. That would have put a damper on their evening.

"So… our lives are on hold until Stefan shows his face again? He could be gone for ten or twenty years, or longer."

"Let's get an apartment together then," she said impulsively, feeling instantly lighter the moment she suggested it.

"An apartment?" he blinked, and Elena was glad to see she could still surprise him every now and then.

"Sure, why not?" It would solve their Stefan problem for the immediate future at least.

"An apartment. Sure, we could do that. It seems a little silly with this house standing vacant, but okay."

"I know it won't be as nice as this place probably, but it'll be completely ours alone. What do you think?"

"I think… we'll have to start with bed shopping. We've gotta hit the important stuff first. We'll never get this bed out of the room, it's way too big, and no offense, but your bed has a crap mattress."

"And a new couch, most of the furniture in this place will look kinda funny in a modern apartment, no offense," Elena replied without missing a beat, laying her head on his chest as she started to mentally shop for everything they'd need.

"I'm taking my favorite chair though, leather goes with everything."

"I'll have to remember that for your birthday," Elena teased, happier than she could remember feeling, ever. Just as quickly the moment was shattered as the bedroom door swung open and Katherine sidled in, her nose sniffing to scent the air.

"Ah, blood and chocolate…. those were the days," she sighed, picking up one of the squares of candy and popping it into her mouth. "Don't you guys ever do anything outside of a bedroom?"

"Jesus," Elena squeaked, grabbing for the comforter to cover themselves, but Damon looked nothing but annoyed at the interruption, no trace of embarrassment on his face.

"Don't you have someone else to torture?" he scowled.

"Another reason to get our own place," Elena muttered darkly. One that Katherine couldn't barge into whenever she felt like it.

"Aw, you two lovebirds are going to shack up together, huh? That's so sweet! I can see how you wouldn't want to build your glorious future together here where you have a past with Stefan." Her eyes sparkled over the dig.

"Is there something we can help you with, Katherine? Better yet, can I help you find the door?" Damon threw back the sheets, pulling on a pair of pants, giving them both an eyeful, and Elena couldn't help the stab of jealousy at finding Katherine's eyes trained on him in appreciation.

"I thought you'd want to know, he's on the move again," Katherine shrugged nonchalantly.

"Who's on the move?" Elena looked between the two of them, feeling like she was missing out on whatever was going on.

"You haven't told her?" Her eyes widened in surprise, but Elena wasn't sure if it wasn't all for show. Something told her Katherine knew exactly what secret she was spilling.

"Told me what?" This time she directed her question to Damon, hand going to her hip expectantly, but he was studiously avoiding her gaze. _Uh oh._ Why did it feel like the bottom was dropping out of their paradise?

All too happy to keep the focus on her, Katherine piped up. "Stefan. He's started in on a new pool of victims. This time in Tallahassee."

**A/N: dun, dun, dun… Yep, you guys guessed, it, Stefan's still out there wreaking havoc on his own and Damon's been keeping it from Elena, as inspired by the show. **

**Feedback is Love**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I would love to share an apartment with Damon…**

"_Is there something we can help you with, Katherine? Better yet, can I help you find the door?" Damon threw back the sheets, pulling on a pair of pants, giving them both an eyeful and Elena couldn't help the stab of jealousy at finding Katherine's eyes trained on him in appreciation. _

"_I just thought you'd want to know, he's on the move again," Katherine shrugged nonchalantly. _

"_Who's on the move?" Elena looked between the two of them, feeling like she was missing out on what was going on. _

"_You haven't told her?" Her eyes widened in surprise, but Elena wasn't sure if it wasn't all for show. Something told her that Katherine knew exactly what secret she was spilling._

"_Told me what?" This time she directed her question to Damon, hand going to her hip expectantly, but he was studiously avoiding her gaze. Uh oh… why did it feel like the bottom was dropping out of their paradise?_

_All too happy to keep the focus on her, Katherine piped up. "Stefan. He's started in on a new pool of victims. This time in Tallahassee."_

* * *

_Here it comes. _ This was where Elena's voice would reach a level only heard by dogs and small rodents, and Damon braced himself for her reaction. It'd been a calculated risk in keeping her in the dark over Stefan's crimes, but the months of uncomplicated bliss with her were more than worth the tantrum that was sure to come.

"Stefan has victims?" Elena's voice rose on cue, hair whipping around her shoulders as she fixed her dark gaze on Damon. "How could you not tell me about this?"

"Think it through for thirty seconds, I know you're smart enough to figure out why," Damon replied. There was no point in sugar coating it, or groveling for forgiveness over what was done. Her eyes closed, and it looked like she might be counting to ten, or possibly getting sick from the expression on her face.

"Excuse me," Elena groaned after a minute, hopping out of bed to run for the bathroom.

Sick. Well, it'd be good for her to get the alcohol out of her system at any rate. "So much for a romantic birthday surprise. Thanks a lot," he muttered, pulling on a shirt.

"Gee, I hope it wasn't anything I said," Katherine blinked innocently at his scowl. "How was I supposed to know you'd be keeping it from her?"

Oh, she knew exactly what she'd done bursting in like that, but Damon didn't want to give her the satisfaction of reacting. Instead he slipped on his shoes and pushed his fingers through his tangle of hair. _Time for a haircut soon. _ "So what do we have?"

Katherine sauntered deeper into the room, pawing through the trinkets on Elena's dressing table. "The usual, young girl, our basic coloring and size, definitely not as attractive – though it's hard to say, when I saw her she wasn't exactly looking her best."

Damon plucked the earrings Katherine was admiring out of her fingers, replacing them in Elena's jewelry box and slamming the lid down, trying to keep her on task. "And it was definitely Stefan?"

"Oh yeah, it had his M.O. written all over it. I don't even want to tell you what he did to her eyes this time." She shivered.

That had been a new development, each of the victims had eye trauma that was increasingly violent, as though he hadn't wanted her to watch him feed. Gruesome stuff, and that was saying a lot, coming from him. "How big of a ruckus did this one make?"

"Big enough. I got the call from Jude. He didn't get to it in time and the local news affiliate ran with it. I imagine it'll turn a few heads," Katherine gave him a pointed look, and he knew exactly what she meant. It was time to take action, Stefan was out of control.

"Who's Jude?" Elena appeared wearing a bathrobe, looking wan but focused.

"He's a friend. He's been keeping an eye out for Stefan's calling card, helping me keep things on the down low," Damon replied, more concerned with her wellbeing for the moment. "Are you okay? Or should I have a bucket ready?"

Elena took a deep breath, ignoring his worry. "So there have been multiple victims then? Enough that you had to call in reinforcements?"

She wasn't going to let this go. As much of a pain in the ass as it was, he had to admit, he kinda loved that about her, how tenacious she was even when she felt like crap. "Come with me." He reached for her hand, guiding her into the next room, leading her straight to the closet. Katherine tagged along behind, her eyes alight with… Damon didn't even want to guess what was running through that convoluted brain of hers.

"This tracks Stefan's activities, at least the ones we know about," he said gently, opening the closet to reveal a large map liberally sprinkled with red pins in the southeastern states. Printouts and clippings from news articles were stuck on the sides, flashing the details of brutal murders across the region. While they'd been enjoying the lazy days of summer, Stefan had been cutting a bloody swath through Virginia, The Carolinas, Georgia, and now Florida. "I didn't want you to worry."

"So many," Elena murmured, her eyes scanning the data.

"He has had all summer, it's conservative really," Katherine started to reply, and Damon shot her a dark look which she thankfully respected, and shut the hell up.

"I don't understand how this could've happened." Elena looked like she might pass out, and Damon wrapped an arm around her waist for support.

"He _is_ a vampire, Elena. You've always known that," he said quietly. For whatever reason, she hadn't ever accepted that Stefan had a violent streak in him a mile wide.

"Oh come on, you didn't think he'd be okay with you playing musical brothers, did you?" Katherine gave a roll of the eyes as she flopped down on the closest chair.

"I'm not…"

"You're the one that did this to him, you have to go fix him," Katherine insisted, cutting off Elena's objections with a piercing stare at her doppelganger.

"That's enough," Damon barked, unconsciously placing himself between the two women even though Katherine was capable of wiping the floor with him. But he'd never let her hurt Elena, or he'd go down trying at least.

"Me?" Elena shrank back from Katherine's hard tone. "We parted on good terms, we said goodbye. I didn't see murderous rage, I swear. I never would have…"

"Never would have what? Left him for me if you'd known?" Damon's jaw tightened at her protests, a ribbon of hurt slicing through him.

"No, I meant I never would have broken things off with him _that way_. I would have kept an eye on him, been there for him. It wouldn't have changed my loving you."

He wanted to believe her, but something deep down made him wonder. Knowing Elena's strong sense of morality, would she have let herself be happy with him if she'd known Stefan would fall off the wagon like that? It might've been part of why he'd kept it from her, but he refused to apologize for that selfish action. He and Elena belonged together, and no amount of tantrums or murder sprees from Stefan would change that.

"None of this is your fault," he insisted, but Katherine rose to her feet, insinuating herself into the conversation.

"Hey, I'm not saying you should get back together with him, but you're probably the only one who can get through to him right now," she pointed out.

Damon fixed Katherine with a sidelong look, wondering at her motivation in all of this. Stefan had been on a rampage all summer, why bring it to their door this night of all nights? "Why do you care if he's killing people anyway?"

"Because he's going to get himself killed," she explained patiently, as if he was a small child. "Stefan the Ripper? Yeah, he's of use to me. Dead Stefan? Not so much."

"Wait, what do you mean, dead Stefan?" Elena's brows drew together in puzzlement.

"He's being reckless, it's like he has a death wish and the others won't tolerate this kind of violence for long."

"They don't have anything to prove it's Stefan," Damon pointed out, wishing like hell Katherine would leave it all alone.

"Let me put it another way," she refused to let it go. "This kind of a report makes the national news. The others won't let him draw that much attention for much longer."

"What do you mean the others. What others?" Elena looked to Damon for answers, but he stubbornly waited for Katherine to explain. After all, she'd been the one to open the can of worms.

"There are other vampires not too far from here that will take steps, if they feel like any single vampire is too enthusiastic with their kills," she replied diplomatically.

"Take steps, you mean punish Stefan for being brutal?"

"No, not for being brutal, vampires aren't known for being squeamish," Damon interrupted grimly. "She means for being too visible, for drawing attention to our existence."

"So they're out there policing the vampire population?"

"Not exactly…" Damon started to explain, but Katherine interrupted.

"They're not out there waiting in their skin-tight, leather commando gear, ready to mobilize at a moment's notice," she smirked. "They're not that organized. But Stefan hasn't exactly been subtle."

"What will they do to punish him?" Elena asked, and Katherine's expression bore a hint of fear on Stefan's behalf.

"We won't want to let it get far enough to find out."

Elena swallowed, and Damon felt a shiver go through her body. "How dangerous are they? Could they kill Stefan?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"One on one, Damon or I could probably take them, but if they band together into a hunting party, things could get messy."

Damon felt another tremor course through Elena's spine, and he knew he couldn't put it off any longer. "Okay, enough talk, sounds like it's time for a road trip. Katherine, are you all ready to go now, or should we wait until morning?" Hoping she'd opt for morning, her gleeful expression crushed any possibility of salvaging his night with Elena.

"I'm all ready to go, I've got the car gassed up and I even made you a mixed tape for the trip." She blew a kiss at him.

"I'll need to pack a few things," Elena said distractedly, pushing the hair out of her eyes and glancing down at the robe wrapped around her body.

"Whoa, what makes you think you're coming?" Damon stared at her in dismay. She didn't honestly think he'd bring her within a hundred miles of Stefan when he was in Ripper mode, did she? "Absolutely not, you can't go."

"Of course I'm going, Stefan needs to be stopped."

"Exactly, which is why you're not going anywhere near Stefan when he's like this, end of discussion."

"I can get through to him, like she said. I might be the only one to get him to stop before it's too late."

"It's already too late," Damon's eyes flashed. "He's gone beyond the point of no return. I'm not going there to reform him, Elena. He gets one chance to take his Ripper act on the road and out of our territory or I'll put him someplace where he can't hurt anyone. I'm not looking to play Dr. Phil and nurse him back to mental health. I'll leave that to Katherine."

"Let me help, Damon, I know I can. You're letting Katherine go."

"And?" Damon shrugged. He couldn't care less if Stefan took out his Elena issues on the vampire, it would simple up his life big time if he did.

"Excuse me, I resent the implication that anybody is _letting_ me do anything," Katherine pouted.

"Nobody cares, Katherine," Damon muttered sourly. "Go on and wait for me outside, I'll be down in a few minutes." Katherine's pout intensified, a staring contest emerging between the two of them for long seconds until she broke eye contact.

"Fine, but don't be too long," she conceded finally, slinking out of the room.

"Damon," Elena began as soon as she was gone, but he silenced her with a single finger to the lips.

"I know you want to help, but I won't risk anything happening to you. Not even for my brother."

Elena pressed a kiss to his hand. "You know he'd never hurt me, and she's right, I might be the only one who can get through to him."

"He'd never hurt you?" Damon pulled her closer to the board. "Look at this, and this, and this." Damon thrust the clippings at Elena, some bearing smiling pictures of the victims, and some with gruesome pictures of the crime scenes. "He's been trying to hurt you, over and over again. You're not going anywhere near him." He saw the moment it dawned on her what he was talking about, what she had in common with the victims and he hated himself for causing her that kind of pain. "It's not your fault, Elena."

"But… he's killing them because of me."

"You can't blame yourself for his fucked up, violent tendencies. You're not his keeper."

"But if I'd just…"

"Do you trust me?" Damon asked, but she wasn't listening to him, eyes still on the board. "Elena… do you trust me?"

Tearing her focus away from the wall of death and dismemberment, Elena nodded, her eyes drowning in pain. "I do."

"Then trust me to take care of this. It's at least as much my fault as anyone else's. If I'd never come here, the two of you would be frolicking together in a field of wildflowers instead of all of this heartache." The words nearly stuck in his throat – a life without Elena, it was unfathomable.

"Don't say that," she frowned.

"Then don't say it about yourself either. It's a screwed-up situation. That's it, nothing more, nothing less. I'll deal with it, and then we can get back to our lives with a clear conscience."

"What will you do with him when you catch up to him?" she asked, head resting on his chest as the fight went out of her.

"I promised Katherine first crack at him. She thinks she can talk him into a change of scenery and she can keep an eye on him better than I can. Honestly, I think she's happy about the way this turned out, it's a better chance to get her hooks back into him than she could have schemed herself." Personally, he shuddered at the thought of going back into Katherine's embrace, but Stefan might find it a palatable substitute. Or he might kill her. Either way, it was a win/win scenario.

"What if that doesn't work?"

"Then I'll try reasoning with him, all the usual stuff he used to try on me, we'll see if that works."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then we'll put him out of commission until it blows over."

Elena frowned, pulling back to look up at him. "Put him out of commission how?"

"Remember the tomb? It'll be something like that."

"You can't be serious!" Elena gasped.

"Don't worry, it'll be a lot more humane than that." It was crazy that they were talking about humane treatment for someone who'd lost his humanity. "Katherine will take care of him, at least until she gets bored, in which case I'll figure something else out.

"But how will you trap him there?"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it." He kissed the top of her head. "Bonnie wasn't the only witch in these parts, we'll take care of it."

"But…"

"Elena…" He reached for her chin, tilting her face up to his. "We'll take care of it."

It was all of five seconds before the resigned look on her face faded as she worked herself up into agitation again. "I can't stay here waiting while you're out there."

"Well, you're not going with. There's no way in hell I'm letting you anywhere near him, so no doing something brave and stupid like following after us, okay?" He held her chin firm until she managed a resentful reply.

"Okay."

"Do you promise?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You're going to make me promise?"

"I know you." He gave her a penetrating look, not willing to let it go until he heard the words from her own delectable lips.

"Alright, I promise." A roll of the eyes was given.

"Promise, you'll wait here patiently like a good girl until I come back for you. Say the words."

"I promise I'll wait here patiently like a good girl until you come back for me," Elena batted her eyelashes. "But keep me in the loop. I don't like surprises."

"That I can do," he promised in return, tilting her lips up to meet his for a lingering kiss.

"Some birthday," Elena sighed once they parted.

"Oh right, speaking of which, I do have another gift for you," he remembered suddenly, releasing his hold on her to head back to his bedroom.

"You do?"

Damon reached inside the bedside table drawer, producing a present wrapped in gold paper. "I do." She accepted the gift with obvious pleasure, carefully pulling the wrapping paper back at the tape, so as not to spoil the pretty paper. It was all he could do not to yank it from her hands and rip it off, she was so slow about it. At long length, her slender hands revealed a new journal, made of soft, Italian leather, embossed with his family crest. "Do you like it? I thought it would be a good fit. You know, to start a new chapter of our lives or something like that." She didn't say anything right away and suddenly he felt stupid for not getting her something sparkly or more expensive. What had he been thinking?

"It's beautiful." She looked up, eyes glistening with emotion. "I love it. It's the perfect gift to start our new lives together, like we talked about."

Relief washed over him, and he gathered her up into his arms. "I'm glad you like it." There was more he would have said, more that had to do with their future, but a sharp honk of the horn reminded him that Katherine waited outside. "I should probably go. The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll come back and we can get started on that life together." He sighed with regret. Damn Stefan for continuing to screw with his life, even when he wasn't around.

"Alright. Call me when you find him. Or call me if you don't. Just… call me," she smiled up at him, and he couldn't resist taking one last kiss. Just in case.

"Be safe while I'm gone." Damon gave her a last long look before forcing himself to let her go.

"I should be saying that to you," she pointed out.

"Why? I can take Stefan."

"You're the one who's going to be stuck in the car with Katherine for a few days," she smirked before sobering. "I love you."

"I never get tired of hearing that," he grinned, stopping by the door to look back at her in his bedroom, an image that would have to carry him through the next few days.

"Then I'll never stop saying it," Elena smiled.

"Deal."

* * *

The house was quiet with everyone gone, but Elena preferred to stay at the boarding house rather than going home. It made her feel closer to Damon to snuggle up in his bed, curled up with her new diary and her phone, where the occasional text from Damon let her know he wasn't having the best of times with Katherine by his side. She considered writing in the new journal, pouring out everything she was feeling about the current situation, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to make that first mark on the page. Better to wait for all of that to be in their past, to really make the book about her new life with Damon rather than the fallout from her breakup with Stefan.

_Stefan._

How could someone so good, go so bad? No matter what she tried to distract herself with, her thoughts kept going back to him. Could she have done anything differently to keep him from going down the destructive path he was on? Was Damon right in keeping her from him now, or would she be able to get through to him? If he did end up locked away for years, would she ever be able to forgive herself? _Stefan, I'm so sorry…_ she sent the apology out into the universe, willing it to find him wherever he was.

"Hello, Elena."

Elena froze at the voice in the stillness of the empty house, not quite trusting her ears since she'd just been thinking about him. Slowly, she turned to face the door where he stood, his expression unreadable. "Stefan," she whispered, the color draining from her face.

**A/N: Dun, dun, dun… I know, another cliffhanger… I couldn't help it! We're getting very close to the dramatic conclusion! **

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	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I would love to be saved by Damon…**

**We're getting close now, I decided to get out this mini-update instead of leaving you hanging with the last cliff hanger.**

_The house was quiet with everyone gone, but Elena preferred to stay at the boarding house rather than going home. It made her feel closer to Damon to snuggle up in his bed, curled up with her new diary and her phone, where the occasional text from Damon let her know he wasn't having the best of times with Katherine by his side. She considered writing in the new journal, pouring out everything she was feeling about the current situation, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to make that first mark on the page. Better to wait for all of that to be in their past, to really make the book about her new life with Damon rather than the fallout from her breakup with Stefan. _

_Stefan._

_How could someone so good, go so bad? No matter what she tried to distract herself with, her thoughts kept going back to him. Could she have done anything differently to keep him from going down the destructive path he was on? Was Damon right in keeping her from him now, or would she be able to get through to him? If he did end up locked away for years, would she ever be able to forgive herself? Stefan… I'm so sorry… she sent the apology out into the universe, willing it to find him wherever he was._

"_Hello, Elena." _

_Elena froze at the voice in the stillness of the empty house, not quite trusting her ears since she'd just been thinking about him. Slowly, she turned to face the door where he stood, his expression unreadable. "Stefan…" she whispered, the color draining from her face._

* * *

"How are you?" Stefan stood there, not advancing, not doing anything other than staring at her in a disconcerting way. What was she supposed to say? Her murderous ex-boyfriend was standing in the bedroom of her current boyfriend, who was also his brother, and Damon was nowhere in sight.

"I'm… fine. I'm surprised to see you here though," she replied with a nervous swallow. "I had no idea you were in town."

"I've been taking some time to myself."

That was an interesting way of putting it. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd find you here alone."

That didn't make her feel any better. Surreptitiously reaching for the phone under the covers, she wrapped her hand around it, wishing she had a second to look down and call or text Damon, but she didn't want to take her eyes off of Stefan. Like a wild animal, he might sense weakness if she broke eye contact.

"Why don't you give me a minute to get dressed and we'll talk." Elena tried for a reasonable tone of voice, even though warning bells pealed madly inside her head.

"I needed to see you." Stefan ignored her plea for privacy, still speaking in an oddly dispassionate voice from across the room. "I've been putting it off for too long, I realize that now. I thought… I thought if I tried to put you in the past I could."

His brow creased as agitation spread through him like wildfire. "I keep seeing you everywhere I turn. I close my eyes and there you are, I open them and you won't leave me alone." His hand lashed out, striking a nearby table, smashing it to rubble, and Elena jumped, fighting the instinct to run.

"I'm here now. Let's talk."

"I don't want to be this way." His face crumpled in distress, and she scooted to the edge of the bed, her voice reaching out in a soothing manner.

"Then don't. You can choose to…"

"You think I have a choice?" The eyes that looked up at her were filled with pain and self-loathing. "I lost any choice the first day I met you. I think I've been on this path ever since then."

His remorse gave her hope that she could get through to him. "No, Stefan, nothing is inevitable. You can turn this around, I promise. I'll help you," she nodded encouragingly.

"No one can help me. I know what I have to do." With a sad shake of the head, he took a step toward her.

"Stefan please, you don't have to do this!" Elena scrambled out of bed, taking precious seconds to autodial Damon's number, trusting that his hearing could pick up her distress when he came on the line. Using her body to shield the phone behind her, she took a step backwards as he advanced, even though it left her with no escape route.

"Don't have to do what? This is the only way I can see to find peace." He seemed almost sad about it, and she frantically searched for a way to get through to him.

"Stefan, if you ever truly cared about me…" she began, but he cut her off, trapping her against the wall with his body.

"How can you say that to me? It's because I love you that I'm doing this." The sound of Damon's voice came through the phone pressed to her back, tinny and small as he announced his outgoing voicemail message. "Did you call Damon?" Stefan demanded.

Caught, Elena kept the phone behind her, wanting to leave a message for Damon to hear. "I… you need help, Stefan. Damon…"

Stefan snatched the phone out of her hand, throwing it across the room where it shattered into an impressive spatter of electronics. "I can't even have one single conversation with you, without bringing Damon into it. Why did I think today would be any different?" His face darkened with anger. "I can smell him all over you."

"Stefan please, you're scaring me." Real terror washed over Elena, leaving a sour taste in her mouth as she realized she was very close to dying. The lone thread of comfort was that maybe this would end his string of killings, once he truly got her out of his system.

"When have I ever given you reason to be afraid of me?" he demanded, holding her by the face, so she couldn't move so much as an inch to reply. "I've always loved you. That's why it's killing me to do this."

* * *

With Damon at the wheel, the muscle car sped through the darkened streets, the silence almost ominous between them. So far Damon had resisted nearly every attempt at conversation she'd made, and switched off the radio after she'd changed the station one too many times. Katherine accepted it, staring out the window into the inky blackness surrounding them on the deserted road. The silence was broken by the buzz of his phone, on the console between them. He reached down to get it, but she was faster.

"Hands on the wheel. It's illegal to talk on the phone while driving without a hands-free device, you know," she scolded him, tilting the phone toward her when she saw Elena's picture come up on the display.

"Since when do you care?"

"Since I don't want to get pulled over, we don't have the time to waste. It's just Alaric anyway," she lied, sending Elena straight to voicemail.

"Let me talk to him, maybe he's got some information for us."

"Too late, he already hung up." Fingers busy, she deleted the record of the call from the history, and the voicemail that popped up a second later.

Damon frowned, taking his eyes off the road to look at her. "Did he leave a voicemail?"

"Nope. Must not have been too important," she smiled sweetly.

**A/N: okay, okay, so it's another cliff hanger… I couldn't resist ending it there! **

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	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I would love to share an apartment with Damon…**

**We forget that Katherine is a baddie with all the other big bads around, don't we? Girl has definitely got her own agenda going. **

_Stefan snatched the phone out of her hand, throwing it across the room where it shattered into an impressive spatter of electronics. "I can't even have one single conversation with you, without bringing Damon into it. Why did I think today would be any different?" his face darkened with anger._

"_Stefan please, you're scaring me…" Real terror washed over Elena, leaving a sour taste in her mouth as she realized she was very close to dying. The lone thread of comfort was that maybe this would end his string of killings, once he truly got her out of his system._

"_When have I ever given you reason to be afraid of me?" he demanded, holding her by the face, so she couldn't move so much as an inch to reply. "I have always loved you. That's why it's killing me to do this…"_

* * *

_With Damon at the wheel, the muscle car sped through the darkened streets, the silence almost ominous between them. So far Damon had resisted nearly every attempt at conversation she'd made, and switched off the radio after she'd changed the station one too many times. Katherine accepted it, staring out the window into the inky blackness surrounding them on the deserted road. The silence was broken by the buzz of his phone, on the console between them. He reached down to get it, but she was faster. _

"_Hands on the wheel. It's illegal to talk on the phone while driving without a hands free device, you know," she scolded him, tilting the phone towards her when she saw Elena's picture come up on the display._

"_Since when do you care?"_

"_Since I don't want to get pulled over, we don't have the time to waste. It's just Alaric anyway," she lied, sending Elena straight to voicemail._

"_Well let me talk to him, maybe he's got some information for us."_

"_Too late, he already hung up." Fingers busy, she deleted the record of the call from the history, and the voicemail that popped up a second later. _

_Damon frowned, taking his eyes off the road to look at her. "Did he leave a voicemail?"_

"_Nope. Must not have been too important," she smiled sweetly._

* * *

Something about her smile made all the hair on the back of his neck stand up like a goose was walking over his grave. "Maybe I'd better call him just in case." He held his hand out for the phone.

Katherine held on tight to his cell, shifting it farther away from him. "It's probably nothing. He didn't even text."

She was stalling, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why. "Who knows? With Ric, it could be the coming of the next apocalypse, or it could be him asking me to make sure Elena's home on a school night. Whatever it is, he'll sleep better tonight if he can get it off his chest." Damon waggled his fingers expectantly.

"Fine, I'll call him, you big baby." A roll of the eyes was given as she slapped his hand away.

"Give me the phone, Katherine." Damon's tone made it clear he was done dancing around the matter.

"Whatever." She set the phone in his hand with a slap. The surge of triumph Damon felt in getting her to capitulate was short lived though, when she grabbed the wheel of the car and wrenched it violently to the side, sending the car careening into a ditch. Damon slammed on the brakes but it was too late. The muscle car skidded on the uneven shoulder, fat tires kicking up rocks and mud as the momentum carried them into a rollover once, twice, three times. Without the benefit of seat belts, Damon and Katherine's bodies flung around like rag dolls before the car came to a rest on its roof.

Damon was fairly sure his arm was broken. Not a huge deal, but he'd never been all that fond of pain. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that." he growled, shifting to a more comfortable position in the crumpled car.

"You can bill me," Katherine replied without a trace of fear in her voice, easily knocking him out with a well-placed hit.

* * *

Damon felt like his head was going to split into two if he moved it more than a centimeter. Content to leave that alone for the moment, he explored his position with the rest of his senses. Heavy chains lashed him to a chair, heavy enough to not even groan when he tested them with his full strength. The smell of disinfectant and the underlying mustiness led him to believe he was in a cheap motel room. The thud of fashionable heels on threadbare carpet let him know he wasn't alone. Opening his eyes, he saw it was still full dark outside, and Katherine's shapely legs came into his field of vision.

"Oh good, you're awake. This wouldn't have been nearly as much fun without an audience," she purred, catching hold of his hair and yanking his head upright. Damon winced at the bloom of pain that sharp movement produced, but it soon dulled to a low throb, and he was actually grateful to be semi-upright.

"What the hell is this, Katherine? If you didn't want me to go with you, all you had to do was say so."

"Ah, Damon… Who would've ever guessed you'd turn into the dashing hero?" she asked, brushing the hair away from his forehead. "But it turns out you're not the hero, and you're not going to save your damsel in distress this time. This isn't even your story. It's mine. Klaus is dead, I can finally stop running, and it's time for me to get what I want."

"Like I care what that is," he muttered, trying again to find some slack in the chains, but she'd locked him up tight.

"It's not like I've made a big secret of it. I told you when I came back, I want Stefan."

"So take him. What does that have to do with me?"

"I thought you seducing Elena away from his side would be a good thing, you know. That it might teach him that Little Miss Perfect is only human, but he's still not over her," she scowled.

"Hence the trail of broken bodies he's left across the country. You know that's your face he's murdering over and over again too. What makes you think he'll want you when you remind him of Elena?" Damon couldn't help but taunt, but Katherine didn't rise to the bait.

"Oh, about that. It was less of a _Stefan is murdering girls in Elena's image_ thing, as it was a tool, for getting what I want," she smiled smugly, and Damon's eyes narrowed.

"Are you saying Stefan wasn't responsible for killing those girls?" Then what the hell were they doing on a wild goose chase?

"All I had to do was rip a few limbs off of some co-eds and you were so eager to convict Stefan of every conceivable atrocity I could think of. Really, I'm shocked at how easily you believed it. What kind of a brother are you?"

His head reeled, what the hell was she after? "This might be the concussion talking, but I don't get it. Why kill those girls, why lure me out here? What does this have to do with your getting Stefan?"

"I needed to get you out of the picture so Stefan and Elena could spend a little quality time together. He's been holed up licking his wounds all summer, obsessing over Elena until it's worn down his last tenuous thread to reality. I paid him a visit before I left, sort of offering a shoulder to cry on and some valuable advice on how to make the pain disappear," she snapped her fingers. "Let's just say, right about now, Stefan is either killing Elena or staring to doubt his own sanity."

Stefan was with Elena? "Why would he kill her if he hasn't been murdering anyone? You know he'd rather throw himself into a bonfire than hurt her," he frowned, it didn't make any sense.

"Because Elena is convinced that he has, and Stefan's so broken, there's a good chance she'll convince him that he's the killer. He won't be able to handle that kind of guilt. I'm thinking Stefan's either about to turn off his emotions and say goodbye to Elena forever or kill her himself after his emotions are off. Either way, I'll be there to help him forget."

"All that hair product has finally seeped into your brains, you've lost it. When are you going to get it through your thick skull, he doesn't want you!" Damon broadcast the last in a booming voice. "You'll never be anything but second best to him."

"Stranger things have happened, you got Elena didn't you? I'm betting he sees things my way after his emotions are gone," she said with a half shrug.

"If his emotions are switched off, then he won't love you either."

"I'm patient. I've waited this long to be with him, I'll take a little steamy forget-her sex for now, I can wait for love. You on the other hand, your story's over and I'm afraid it's not a very happy ending." Katherine leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead, and Damon angrily shook his head free of her touch. "Sorry to gloat and run, but I've got to go and save the day. Convince Stefan that he's already joined the dark side, and it's best for everyone if he comes away with me before the others catch up with him for his terrible crimes. But before I do…"

Katherine opened the curtains wide, leaving Damon in full view of the picture window, protected by some filmy shears that would mask the fact that he was tied to the chair, but offer little protection from the light of the sun. "You don't mind if I take this, do you?" She held the heavy man's ring in her hand, and Damon realized his ring was missing. "I mean, I did give it to you in the first place, I figure I have the right to take it back."

"You don't have to do this. I couldn't care less if you skip off with Stefan into your deluded fantasy. Just leave me and Elena out of it."

Katherine ran her fingers through her long, dark tresses, pulling free a few pieces of broken glass from the wreck. "Don't worry, Damon, Elena will be joining you in the afterlife soon enough and you can be together forever. Give my love to Klaus if you see him on the other side." With a final smile, she was gone.

**Feedback is Love**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I would love to be saved by Damon…**

**This chapter's a little meatier, thanks for being patient with me guys. **

_When last we left Stefan and Elena…_

"_Stefan please, you're scaring me…" Real terror washed over Elena, leaving a sour taste in her mouth as she realized she was very close to dying. The lone thread of comfort was that maybe this would end his string of killings, once he truly got her out of his system._

"When have I ever given you reason to be afraid of me?" Stefan demanded, holding her by the face, so she couldn't move so much as an inch to reply. "I have always loved you. That's why it's killing me to do this."

"Please, please don't, Stefan. Do you really think you'll feel better if you kill me too?"

Stefan blinked, his hand freezing where it gripped her face. "Kill you?"

"I know things seem dark right now, but try to remember this will pass. One day you'll wake up and you won't even think about me once, but you have to stop the cycle of violence for that to happen."

"I don't…"

"Even if you do kill me, you know Damon will never let it go. He'll hunt you down and kill you or worse. You don't want that, do you?" She tried to appeal to his self preservation instincts.

"Elena, I would never hurt you." As if he suddenly realized their positions, his hand fell away and he took a step backwards.

"I want to believe that, you know I do." She sucked in a deep breath as soon as he lurched away. "But those other girls… Stefan, you need help."

"What other girls?"

_Oh God, he'd blocked it all out._ He was in worse shape than she'd thought. "The girls you ripped apart," she said slowly, looking for some sign of recognition in his face. "Here in town, and in Georgia, Florida…" Stefan's gaze became unfocused, as if he was searching his thoughts, and she continued in a more soothing tone. "It's okay, I want to help you. The first step is to admit you have a problem, and then we can focus on getting you better."

"That's just it. I don't remember any of it," he replied dazedly, sinking into a chair.

It was Elena's turn to frown in confusion, and she approached him cautiously, moving into a position where she had a clear shot at the door in case he turned on her again. "If you weren't here to kill me, what were you here to do that you were so upset about?"

"I couldn't stand being around here, knowing you were with Damon, getting on with your life. I know I should be happy for you, but I couldn't take it. I came to say goodbye, and then I was going to shut off my emotions and go away and try and figure out what happens next. You thought I wanted to kill you? God, Elena, I am so sorry." He buried his face in his hands.

She wanted to believe him, but at the same time, Elena couldn't bring herself to comfort him. The faces of his victims kept appearing in her mind, reminding her that Stefan was truly disturbed. Once he flipped off his emotions, that would only make things worse. "I don't think that's such a good idea right now, not until you're sure you have better control over your violent tendencies."

"Elena, I swear to you, I never killed _anyone_," he insisted.

"Now we both know that isn't true." Katherine appeared in the doorway, watching the pair with avid interest.

"You're not helping." Elena shot her a dark look. "Stefan, I understand you're a little confused right now."

"Show him the wall." Katherine left her place at the door, heading for the spare room that held Damon's map of the murders.

"What is she talking about?" Stefan asked.

"I think you'd better come and take a look at this." Eyes full of sorrow, Elena led him to the board, stepping back to let him look his fill. Stefan's brow creased in confusion as he studied the red pins, the confusion turning to horror as he scanned the articles.

"I did this," he murmured, shocked to the core.

Katherine approached him with a soothing stroke across his shoulders. "It's okay Stefan, you're a vampire, this is your nature. Just do like we talked about, get rid of those emotions and you'll feel much better about this, trust me."

"I can't do that. What if I kill again?" Unable to tear his gaze from the board, Stefan barely acknowledged her touch.

"It's not like the emotions are keeping you from doing it now. And maybe without feeling all tortured over Elena and Damon, you won't feel the need to lash out, and we can have some fun?" she smiled encouragingly.

How could Katherine talk about fun at a time like this? Elena insinuated herself on his other side to counter the devil on his shoulder. "Stefan, you don't have to go with her. Stay here, and we'll get you the help you need."

"What are you going to do, keep him locked up in the cellar while you and Damon go at it like rabbits up above? Talk about cruel and unusual punishment," Katherine scoffed.

"Shut up both of you!" Stefan tore himself away from the wall, away from both of them. "I can't stay here." Katherine brightened, at that but it was short lived. "I'm not going with you either," he continued. "There is only one way to end this."

"Don't talk like that, it'll get better, I promise," Katherine tried again, but Stefan ignored her, approaching Elena, he touched her cheek tenderly this time.

"Goodbye, Elena, I'm sorry for everything I put you through."

Elena nodded, emotion choking her for the moment.

"Goodbye? You're leaving on your own then?" Katherine scowled, and Stefan turned to look at her. For a moment it seemed like he might have something to say to her as well, but instead he turned and left without saying a word.

Katherine's scowl grew more pronounced as her attention hovered on the empty doorway where Stefan disappeared, but after a moment, she shook herself out of it. "I'll catch up with him later, but for now, now I get to do something I've been wanting to for a long, long time."

Dark eyes that matched her own swung to fix on Elena, and she took a step backwards in spite of herself. "You do get that he's not running away, right?"

"What are you babbling about now?"

"Stefan isn't leaving town, he's ending it." It seemed perfectly clear to Elena, Stefan had been saying his final goodbye and she hadn't managed to say a single thing to him in response.

"Ending what? The killing spree? It wasn't him, there's nothing for him to end."

Shock coursed through Elena at her reply. It hadn't been Stefan killing the girls? How did Katherine know that? And why had she insisted on showing Stefan the board if he wasn't responsible? Mind reeling, she tried to keep focus on the most pressing matter at hand. "No, you're not getting it, he's going to end it _all_."

Katherine's face scrunched in annoyance. "He never did it in the first place, sweetie. Try to keep up."

"He's going to end his life. You saw his face. Do you really think he could live with the guilt of killing all those girls?"

A half shrug was given. "He'll get over it, he'll just switch off his emotions."

"No, that's what you would do, not Stefan," Elena insisted. "Do you not know him at all? He's going to end _everything_.

Katherine stopped in her tracks. "He wouldn't."

"Wouldn't he? Where do you think he ran off to just now? Take a look at the sky, Katherine, it'll be light in what, an hour?"

Her eyes went to the window, brows drawing together at what she saw there. "Less."

_Less._ That didn't give them a whole lot of time to work with. "I'm betting his plan is to punish himself for his crimes by meeting the dawn without his ring. We have to find him."

Katherine seemed to come to a decision, fixing her attention back on Elena. "Well then, it looks like we don't have much time."

"Right, do you know where he might go? I can call Caroline and wait… where's Damon? Wasn't he with you?" How had she not thought of him before? Was he still off on Stefan's bogus trail in Florida?

"Sorry Elena, I meant, _I_ don't have much time. _You_ don't have any time left at all." She advanced on Elena with one swift movement, hand going to her throat, choking off any reply. "As for Damon, he's unavailable for consultation at the moment, but you'll be seeing him real soon."

Elena's hand scrabbled ineffectually at Katherine's arm, but her grip was like iron. Tiny pinpricks of light swam before her eyes as the room started to dip and sway, dizziness setting in from lack of oxygen. Panic gave way to a peculiar lassitude, as her consciousness started to slip away.

* * *

Triumph swelled through her as Elena's body went limp, she was so close.

"Katerina, I can't leave you alone for a moment, can I?"

A hand clamped down on her shoulder so painfully, it made her let go of Elena, and she slumped to the ground with a groan. "Elijah?" Katherine tried to turn her head to see him, but the pain was too great.

"You're going to make me regret letting you live, aren't you?" he scolded lightly, thumb brushing gently over her neck despite the painful grip he had on her shoulder.

"Elijah, I can explain." Katherine licked her lips, searching for something to say, anything to make him spare her life.

"I'd love to hear this one," he chuckled.

"It was to try and save Stefan. He won't be free until she's gone, don't you understand? He'll keep killing other girls. Elena was supposed to die during the ritual anyway, her time has passed." Katherine seized upon the web of lies she'd already spun.

"So, you planned on killing Elena to save innocent lives," he replied, a trace of amusement around his lips.

"Yes! That's it exactly!" Buoyed with hope, Katherine's voice dripped innocent charm. "You're not really going to kill me, are you?"

"Relax, Katerina, I'll set you free when the time is right. I can't allow you to kill Elena though. I gave my word to protect her."

"But that was from Klaus and he's gone now," Katherine pointed out stubbornly. "You don't actually feel something for her, do you?"

"I honor my word, remember?"

Despite the pain, Katherine made her voice sultry. "It was me you loved all those years ago when I was human though, wasn't it? I know you did. That's why you wouldn't let Klaus hurt me."

Elijah's grip faltered, the pain lessening, and she felt a surge of triumph, but he maintained his hold on her. "I did love you once, but that girl died a long, long time ago," he said quietly.

Encouraged by the lighter touch at her shoulder, Katherine turned to face him, her eyes searching his face. "I could make you love me again," she purred. Leaning in, she brushed her lips against him tentatively at first when he didn't move, but the instant he started to respond she deepened the kiss, putting every practiced art she'd learned over the past five hundred years into it. When she pulled back to smile in satisfaction, her face froze at the coldness she found in his eyes.

"Like I said, that girl died a long time ago," he sighed. "It's time you joined her."

A stab of fear sliced where her heart once lived. "You said you wouldn't kill me," she breathed, struggling to break free from his grasp as his hold tightened on her again.

"I said I would set you free."

* * *

Damon burst into the boarding house, forcing himself to be still long enough to locate Elena. He didn't dare call out for her, if Stefan was in the house, his presence might make him do something rash if Katherine was to be believed. If he was too late… He couldn't think like that, life without Elena wasn't an option.

Damn Katherine anyway, he was going to have to find a way to make her pay for what she'd done. Maybe he'd turn her in to the other vamps in the area himself? But that was distracting him, keeping him from finding Elena. The barest scrape of movement from above caught his attention, and he slunk up the stairs as quickly as he could manage while still moving stealthily.

He found them in the spare room, and for long seconds, everything stopped. Elijah sat on the floor, Elena's limp body cradled in his arms. Pain so sharp it ceased to have any real meaning lanced through him, paralyzing Damon where he stood. He could still hear her voice, see her smiling face when he'd said goodbye that same night. If he'd thought it would be the last time he'd ever see her again, he never would have left her side.

Idly, the thought came to him – this was what the end felt like. Everything was over. Until Elijah's head came up and he saw it was Katherine's body he held, the mottled color of her face telling him she wouldn't be bothering him or Elena ever again.

"Elena?" Damon managed to croak after he filled his lungs with air.

"She's over there," Elijah nodded his head negligently. "She passed out, but she's fine."

With his limbs able to move, Damon rushed to Elena's side, finding her laid out on the floor, her pulse slow but steady. "Hey… Elena? Time to wake up, let me see those pretty eyes," he pleaded with her, gathering her up into his arms.

"Damon?" she murmured, eyes flickering open.

"Of course, who else would it be?" he grinned, heart torn between exultation at hearing her voice and breaking for having thought he'd lost her in the first place.

"We have to find Stefan."

"That's not my first priority right now. We should get you to the doctor to make sure you're alright first. Stefan can brood for another day before we track him down." Now that he knew Stefan wasn't responsible for the killings, he'd been demoted on his danger meter.

"No, you don't understand." Elena sat a little higher. "Stefan believes he's been on a murderous rampage and somehow blocked it all out, he's going to end it all."

"He was probably just being dramatic."

"You didn't see his face." She shook her head, using Damon as a brace to climb to her feet. "We have to figure out where he'd go before the sun rises." She tugged at his hand but Damon remained seated.

"I can't."

"What? Why not?"

Damon waggled his bare fingers at her. "I don't have my ring. If I go out there, I'll turn into a crispy critter in the next half hour for sure."

"Oh my God, we have to do something. Call Caroline, Tyler… Alaric, anyone you can think of. We have to get a line on him right now!"

"I can find him," Elijah called out, gently laying Katherine down and rising to his feet.

Damon had almost forgotten the Original was in the room, he was already pulling out his phone, bringing up the number for Vampire Barbie. "That's nice of you to offer, but first we have to figure out where he'll go and we're running out of time. The more sets of eyes we can get looking for him, the better."

"I know where he'll go," Elijah insisted confidently.

"Look, no offense, but what makes you think you know him better than I do?" Damon scoffed.

"I don't, but I know someone who does."

**A/N: Here's another original note: I couldn't resist bringing in Elijah, I miss him! How great was last week's episode with all the back story by the way? I'm almost sad to see Katherine go, maybe I'll bring her into the next one. Only two chapters left after this one! So what did you think of the rescue?**

**Feedback is Love**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I would love to be saved by Damon…**

**We're almost to the end here and yes, I'll explain how Damon got free.**

"_We have to find Stefan…"_

"_That's not my first priority right now; we should get you to the doctor to make sure you're okay first. Stefan can brood for another day before we track him down." Now that he knew Stefan wasn't responsible for the killings, he had been demoted on his danger meter. _

"_No, you don't understand." Elena sat a little higher. "Stefan believes he's been on a murderous rampage and somehow blocked it all out, he's going to end it all."_

"_He was probably just being dramatic."_

"_You didn't see his face," she shook her head, using Damon as a brace to climb to her feet. "We have to figure out where he'd go before the sun rises." She tugged at his hand but Damon remained seated. _

"_I can't."_

"_What? Why not?"_

_Damon waggled his bare fingers at her. "I don't have my ring. If I go out there, I'll turn into a crispy critter in the next half hour for sure."_

"_Oh my God… we have to do something. Call Caroline, Tyler… Alaric, anyone you can think of. We have to get a line on him right now!"_

"_I can find him," Elijah called out, gently laying Katherine down and rising to his feet._

_Damon had almost forgotten the Original was in the room, he was already pulling out his phone, bringing up the number for Vampire Barbie. "That's nice of you to offer, but first we have to figure out where he'll go and we're running out of time. The more sets of eyes we can get looking for him, the better."_

"_I know where he'll go," Elijah insisted confidently._

"_Look, no offense, but what makes you think you know him better than I do?" Damon scoffed._

"_I don't, but I know someone who does."_

* * *

Stefan looked out over the water, watching the slow current drag lazily against the weed choked bank as the sky gradually lightened with the approaching dawn. The ring still sat heavily on his hand and he twisted it around and around his finger. He hadn't been back to the ruins of the old house since the day he'd brought Elena there to explain how it all started, but it seemed fitting now.

He didn't remember any of it, the crimes he was accused of. But the look on Elena's face… It didn't matter if he didn't remember it, there were plenty of other things to atone for in his past. When he'd first turned, and later with Klaus, those memories had come rushing back upon Klaus' death. He'd done so many things he tried to forget, but now…

The sky grew perceptibly lighter, a slip of the ring and it would be over.

"It's funny how we always go to the beginning when we come to the end, isn't it?" Elijah took a deep breath of the early morning air as he joined Stefan at the water's edge.

Stefan barely registered surprise at finding the elusive Original standing beside him. He could only assume Elena had called in the cavalry, pulling out all the stops to try and stop him from doing what he knew he had to do. "You've come to talk me out of it?"

"Me? No, of course not," he chuckled. "I've never been one to interfere with a man's important life decisions."

"Come to watch then?" The corner of his mouth tugged up into a half smile.

"Sure, why not? No one deserves to die alone."

"We're all alone in the end." Stefan gave the ring on his finger another twist, pulling it above the knuckle and slipping it back on again.

"No belief in the sweet hereafter?"

"The only thing waiting for me in the afterlife, if there is an afterlife, is punishment for my crimes." If there was a Hell, he was sure to spend an eternity there in torment after what he'd done. The ring slipped higher on his finger and Stefan looked to the horizon, fancying he could see the dawning rays of the sun.

"Is that what you think you deserve?"

"I know I do."

"Why, because you ripped apart those girls?" Elijah replied with great amusement, and Stefan fixed him with a sidelong look, appalled at his casual acceptance of the atrocities.

"Isn't that bad enough?" Maybe it didn't seem so to an Original, but he imagined human life meant very little to them after so many years.

"Never happened," Elijah assured him sagely, leaving Stefan more than a little confused.

"What do you know about it? What are you even doing here?" He took a step away from Elijah, sensing he wasn't going to sit idly by and let him do what he needed to do.

"I'm cleaning up the mess I left a long time ago. Before you go out in a blaze of glory, I thought you should know it wasn't you who killed them, it was Katherine."

"What? Why would she do that?"

"It's Katherine, her reasons are frighteningly convoluted, and in the end meaningless. The point is, you didn't do the crime, so you shouldn't do the time, as they say."

The world seemed to stop spinning away out of control; he wasn't losing his mind after all. Stefan felt an enormous wave of relief down to his bones, before self doubt crept back in hot on its heels, reluctant to let him escape. "That wasn't the extent of my crimes, I've done things."

"I know."

"You couldn't possibly know," he frowned, perturbed at the way nothing seemed to bother the Original. While Elijah wasn't as bad as his brother, Stefan was reminded that he was completely amoral.

"Yes, I could. A little birdy whispered them to me." Elijah grinned openly now, even as Stefan's brows drew together in puzzlement.

"A little birdy?"

Elijah gave a trilling whistle and a woman's figure stepped out from the shadows of the ramshackle covered bridge. The rays of the sun struck her blonde hair with all the radiance of dawn, bathing her in golden light.

All of the breath left Stefan's body in a silent rush, one recognizable word hovering on his lips. "Rebekah…"

* * *

"And then she opened the curtains so I'd fry come sunup." In the darkened living room, well away from the windows, Damon and Elena huddled together on the couch as Damon recounted his side of the story.

"How did you get away?" Elena was drowsy from staying up all night, but Damon was reluctant to let her leave his side after the night he'd been through.

"The chains she used were strong enough to stop me, especially with the broken arm. But the chair wasn't," he smirked. "As soon as I thought of breaking the chair, the rest was easy. Then it was a phone call to Elijah, a quick snack, and I was on my way back to you." He kissed the top of her head.

"Quick snack?"

"Don't make a federal case over it, I didn't kill anyone." But he hadn't been too careful either, there hadn't been enough time. Elena was silent for a few seconds and he worried she was stewing over that admission, but when she spoke again, there was no censure in her voice.

"What happened to your ring then? Does Katherine still have it?"

"I have no idea. I searched her body after Elijah left, but I couldn't find it. It'd be like her to throw it away on the side of the road somewhere just to spite me."

"She wouldn't really do that, would she? I can't believe she'd let go of power like that in any form. It seems like she'd want to keep it in case it became useful someday."

For the next hapless loser she decided to mess with. It was crazy to think that just over a year ago he might have lined up to be screwed over by Katherine if it meant he'd get to share in her life. "Let's hope so, because finding that ring is the only thing that will fix it so I can walk around in the day again. Now that Bonnie's gone."

"You said there were other witches around," Elena craned her neck to look up at him.

"There are, but not with that specific skill set." At seeing she was starting to get upset, Damon made an effort to keep his voice light. "Hey, I'm not saying it'll never happen, but it's not a quick and easy fix. In the meantime, I don't mind sticking to the house during the day, I'm more of a night person anyway," he grinned, more pleased that she was worried about him than concerned over the loss of the ring for the moment. Worse come to worse, he could always sit on Stefan and take his ring away from him. He probably wanted to brood in the darkness for his penance anyway.

Almost as if she read his thoughts, Elena returned the topic to Stefan. "Elijah probably got to him in time, right? He would have contacted us by now if it was too late, wouldn't he?"

"I'm sure Stefan's fine. Elijah seemed to think he knew exactly how to handle it and I have to admit, he's had a lot more years to deal with mopey vampires and their suicidal tendencies."

"That I have," Elijah agreed, striding into the boarding house without knocking as if he owned the place.

Leaving her place by Damon's side, Elena rose to her feet, worry written all over her face. "Did you find him? Is Stefan okay?"

Moving slower to skirt the streaks of light that still managed to come in through the shutters, Damon joined them, no less concerned for the fate of his brother.

"You can relax, Stefan is alive and well. At least, he was when I left him," Elijah smiled complacently.

"But you left him? Was that such a good idea in his state?" Elena frowned once the initial sense of relief hit her.

"I left him in good hands. Trust me, he's got plenty of other things to occupy his mind right now than to wallow in his own guilt, real or imagined."

"But you did tell him that Katherine was responsible for the murders?" Elena pressed, and Elijah lost some of the sparkle behind his smile.

"Yes, I filled him in on that tidbit of information."

Damon was more interested in hearing who Elijah had called in to babysit Stefan. "Who did you leave him with?"

"My sister, Rebekah. They're old… acquaintances," he replied, choosing his word carefully after a look to Elena.

"Your sister?" Elena blinked.

"That's a story for another day." Damon tried to steer her away from delving too much into that, knowing a little something about Stefan's days in Chicago.

"But where are they? Are you sure he won't do something drastic?"

Damon was about to reassure her but Elijah beat him to it. "Don't worry, she's gone quite maternal over him, she'll make sure he doesn't harm himself. Oh, by the way, I think you're missing this." He tossed a heavy man's ring, and Damon deftly snatched it out of the air, immediately slipping it on.

"Thanks. Where did you get it?"

Elijah went very still in the way that only vampires can, his attention focused elsewhere. "Let's call it a trade and be done with it."

Busy testing his hand in the stream of light peeking in from the sidelight windows, Damon didn't notice the change in the man. Things were looking up and he was almost afraid to enjoy it for fear of someone pulling the rug out from under them again. Truth be told he wasn't too upset to hear that Stefan had a pretty, blonde distraction for a while.

Even with Stefan out of the picture and Klaus defeated, he couldn't shake the thought that it was just the calm before the storm. But the last thing he wanted to do was worry Elena, so he kept his thoughts to himself. He grabbed Elena around the waist and swung her around with a laugh, relishing the feel of her in his arms. "A trade for what?" he replied almost as an afterthought.

"He's gone," Elena frowned, turning her head first one way and then the other. "I wish you guys wouldn't do that so often," she muttered.

"It's part of the fun of being a vampire." Gathering her up in his arms, he rushed them up to his bedroom in the space of a heartbeat, depositing her gently on the mattress. "Let me show you what the best part is," he smiled against her skin as he covered her body with his.

When they ventured forth later in the afternoon, they discovered that Katherine's body had disappeared, no doubt the trade Elijah had spoken of. In its place was a sealed envelope with Elena's name on it, penned in elegant script.

"You go ahead and read your love letter, I'll go make you something to eat," Damon offered, lips brushing against her temple.

"Oh, come on, it's not a love letter." She hit his shoulder with the envelope as he danced out of reach.

"It's okay if he's sweet on you, I don't care as long as it's me your heart belongs to," he winked.

"My heart and everything that goes with it," she winked back, feeling lighter than she had in days. Opening the envelope, she pulled out a single sheet of paper.

_My Dear Elena,_

_I'm pleased to have been able to fulfill my end of our bargain, especially because I never felt like I've done much personally to keep you safe from Klaus, as promised. It saddened me to resort to the steps I took against Katerina, but it became clear she would always pose a danger to you. I thank you for our talks, it brought back memories of happier times, and because of your efforts I was able to reunite with other members of my family I thought long gone. _

_In the spirit of our ongoing friendship, let me make one last offer to you: Please contact me if you should ever decide to join Damon or any other vampire in eternal life. _

_Believe me when I say, it should never be the one who loves you who actually steals your last breath away. I would hope that you number me among your friends, and trust that I would see to your rebirth with a minimum of pain._

_I can be reached at this number, and I trust you not to distribute it for obvious reasons. The offer is made in the spirit of friendship, with no secret agendas or obligations. In the event that you decide to ignore my advice, I will respect your decision. In any case, I thought you should know, I have Katherine's ring._

_Elijah_

Elena stared at the paper with numb fingers for a long time before she carefully folded up the sheet of paper and put it away.

**A/N: I didn't get too deep into Stefan and Rebecca's reunion, I prefer to keep this as more of Damon and Elena's story, but my imagination does run amok with possibilities there. (and remember, this is written very early in the series, waaaaay before The Originals) Just one chapter left! As we come to the end, we find ourselves going back to the beginning…**

**Feedback is Love**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I don't own Vampire Diaries or any of the characters, but I would love to share a happy ending with Damon…**

**Here we are at the end! Who says I don't like hearts and flowers?**

_When they ventured forth later in the afternoon, they discovered that Katherine's body had disappeared, no doubt the trade Elijah had spoken of. In its place was a sealed envelope with Elena's name on it, penned in elegant script._

"_You go ahead and read your love letter, I'll go make you something to eat," Damon offered, lips brushing against her temple._

"_Oh come on, it's not a love letter," she hit his shoulder with the envelope as he moved out of reach. _

"_It's okay if he's a little sweet on you, I don't care as long as it's me your heart belongs to," he winked._

"_My heart and everything that goes with it," she winked back, feeling lighter than she had in days. Opening the envelope, she pulled out a single sheet of paper._

_My Dear Elena,_

_I'm pleased to have been able to fulfill my end of our bargain, especially because I never felt like I've done much personally to keep you safe from Klaus, as promised. It saddened me to resort to the steps I took against Katerina, but it became clear that she would always pose a danger to you. I thank you for our talks, it brought back memories of happier times and because of your efforts I was able to reunite with other members of my family I thought long gone. _

_In the spirit of our ongoing friendship, let me make one last offer to you: Please contact me if you should ever decide to join Damon or any other vampire in eternal life. _

_Believe me when I say, it should never be the one who loves you who actually steals your last breath away. I would hope that you number me among your friends, and trust that I would see to your rebirth with a minimum of pain._

_I can be reached at this number, and I trust you not to distribute it for obvious reasons. The offer is made in the spirit of friendship, with no secret agendas or obligations. In the event that you decide to ignore my advice, I will respect your decision. In any case, I thought you should know; I have the other ring._

_Elijah_

_Elena stared at the paper with numb fingers for a long time before she carefully folded up the sheet of paper and put it away._

* * *

It was becoming clear to him that he would have to take matters into his own hands where Elena was concerned.

Again.

It was easy to sneak up on Elena. Damon had done more than his share of lurking in his day. Her attention firmly fixed on tying her shoes, all she had time for was a slight widening of her eyes the moment before he struck, hands closing around her neck. Just the right amount of pressure and she slumped in his arms, unconscious and pliable.

She'd be fine when she woke up, maybe a headache, but no permanent damage. Allowing himself the briefest of moments to drink in her beauty even in this state, his fingers brushed across the curve of her cheek and down the smooth column of her throat. "This is for the best Elena, I promise." Damon's lips moved almost soundlessly, the pledge given as soundly in his heart as if he'd shouted it from the top of the falls.

* * *

Elena stirred, stretching on a strange bed. No, not a bed – a reclining leather chair. Was she at a fancy dentist's office? That explained the odd taste in her mouth, but not what she was doing there. Was she dreaming?

A sneaking suspicion began to dawn on her… this wasn't a dream. "Damon?" she murmured, still groggy. "Where are we?" she blinked, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Oh good, you're awake. I'm not sure exactly, somewhere over the Atlantic. Did you want specific latitude and longitude? I could ask Captain Steve if you want."

"Over the Atlantic?" She sat higher on the plush seat, eyes drawn to the oval window beside her, raising the shade to reveal the expanse of blue far below. "What are we doing here?"

"Flying. And _some_ of us were drooling, just a tad. Hot towel?" Damon held out a limp washcloth, and she snatched the towel away, throwing it across the spacious cabin. "I'll take that as a no," he muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "Looks like somebody woke up on the wrong side of the plane. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I'm sorry if I'm a bit crabby, I'm just fuzzy on how I got here." Elena rolled her head first one way and then the other, working the kinks out from sleeping in an odd position.

"I'm doing what I should have done in the first place. Taking you far away, where no one else will find you."

"And you thought you had to kidnap me to do that?" Her brows rose incredulously. Weren't they past that? _Way_ past that?

"You have to admit, it worked pretty well the first time, didn't it?" he winked, apparently impervious to her mood.

"But… there's no reason to leave Mystic Falls now."

"That's what I thought before, but somehow it never works out to be that simple, does it?" he pointed out, and she had to admit, that did seem to be the case most of the time.

Maybe he was right and it would be a good time to get away for a while? Apart from school there was nothing holding her back. Jenna and Jeremy were safe, probably more so with her gone. "Where are we going?"

"Oh no. I tell you, and then you try to escape when my back is turned, I learned my lesson. I'm not letting you out of my sight this time."

Elena stifled the urge to laugh, but a smile escaped her best intents, accompanied by a roll of the eyes. "I'm not going to try to escape, where would I go? We're on a plane. A private plane… Did you charter a jet?" It was nicer than any plane ride she'd ever been on before, though that wasn't saying much, she hadn't been many places.

"Maybe," he answered nonchalantly, offering her a glass of champagne.

"Can you afford this?" It wasn't anything they'd really talked about before, but he never seemed to hurt for money, despite the fact that he didn't hold down a job.

"It's so cute how naïve you are." Damon leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Money is not something we ever have to worry about. In fact, I predict, there's very little you'll have to worry about, ever again."

"That's not very realistic," she objected. They might be safe and sound now, but there was inevitably something to worry about.

"You know, for a Pollyanna, you're really kind of a downer sometimes. Aren't you the one who usually preaches hope and happy endings?"

He had her there. Why was she still stuck in the doom and gloom they'd left behind? Elena took a sip of the offered champagne, settling more comfortably against his side. "Is that what this is? A happy ending?" she smiled up at him.

"No, this is the beginning."

**A/N: and there we are, the final chapter! What did you guys think? I know some of you were looking forward to a fight between Damon and Stefan themselves, but I just didn't feel it for this one, it's been done so much before. This way we ended up with a happy ending for **_**almost**_** everyone. Thanks for joining me on this one!**

**Last Chance**

**Feedback is Love**


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